Chief urges NDC Foot Soldiers to exercise restraint

Jirapa (UWR), August 17, GNA - Naa Seidu Amadu, Vice President of the Jirapa Traditional Council, has appealed to "Foot Soldiers" of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to exercise restraint in their agitation for the removal of government appointees.

He urged them to always consult the elders for their views and concerns before embarking on campaigns and demonstrations to press home demands for the removal of District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives, as well as Regional Ministers.

Naa Amadu made the appeal when Alhaji Issahaque Salia, Upper West Regional Minister, paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, Naa Angsule Ganaa, to introduce himself to members of the Traditional Council.

He expressed fears that if stringent measures were not put in place to check the menace of the "Foot Soldiers", they would very soon turn their resentment on traditional rulers and ask for their de-stoolment after they had succeeded in ousting all government appointees.

Naa Amadu, who is also the Ullo Naa, said national development and the democratic process in the country would suffer if the interest of a small group of people was allowed to supersede the interest of the majority.

Naa Bakuri James, a spokesman of Naa Ganaa noted that even though chiefs rendered unpaid consultancy, arbitration, mediation and governance services to the government, they were the least motivated.

He said the allowances paid to chiefs were only a pittance and could not be equated to the valuable services they were providing for the government and the people in the communities.

He urged the government to take a second look at the allowances paid to chiefs and also make payment regular and timely to avoid embarrassment.

Naa James, who is also chief of Gbare, gave the assurance that the people of the Jirapa Traditional Area would offer Alhaji Salia their maximum support in his efforts to administer the Region successfully.

He said the Traditional Council would also accept and assist any government appointee posted to the area, as well as offer their good advice to that person to enhance performance.

Alhaji Salia thanked the chiefs for sustaining the peace in the area and promised to work closely with them to bring development to the Region.

He noted that the chieftaincy institution had been found to be an old governance tool and that it is still important today as it was some years ago.

Alhaji Salia said government's recognition of the important role chiefs play in the governance of the country, noting: "If we ignore our chiefs, we would do that at our own peril".

He urged chiefs to continue to organise and mobilise their people in the communities to undertake self-help projects to complement government's development efforts.

Alhaji Salia at a separate meeting with Assembly Members and heads of decentralised departments, as well as Public and Civil Servants told them that they constituted an indispensable part of government.

They should, therefore, work assiduously and turn government policies and programmes into practical benefits to enhance the living conditions of the people.