Ministry of Chieftaincy takes steps to solve problems

The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs has taken steps to solve the numerous problems besetting the administration of chieftaincy in the country.

Dr H. Seidu Daannaa, sector Minister, announced this at an emergency meeting of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in Koforidua on Friday.

He said the Ministry had requested all Regional Houses of Chiefs to advertise in the media the position of a counsel and make their recommendation to the Ministry after interviewing the applicants.

“The Ministry is liaising with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General so as to speed up the process of acquiring permanent counsel for those Regional Houses of Chiefs which for a long time have been without the services of lawyers”.

Dr Daannaa said there were plans this year to organize two training workshops for senior and junior staff involved in the administration of chieftaincy in Ghana.

He said the objective was to improve the performance of the officers by sharpening their knowledge of the Chieftaincy Act and the chieftaincy practice in general.

Dr Daannaa said currently, the Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, was processing 15 Draft Legislative Instrument (LI) to be laid before Parliament, to be enacted into law regarding the Lines of Succession to Stools/Skins.

“Considering the fact that the chieftaincy institution is the back rock of Ghanaian culture and heritage, the importance of the smooth running of chieftaincy administration cannot be over-emphasized”.

He said, for that reason, the government would leave no stone unturned in the effort to strengthen the machinery of chieftaincy, the Houses of Chiefs and the traditional councils.

He appealed to the chiefs to continue to discharge their constitutional mandate of adjudicating cases as well as serving as repository of tradition and wisdom.

He said: “It is, therefore, the policy of the government to work hand in hand with chiefs to ensure that this great institution plays its rightful role in our modern economic and political development”.

Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, Okyenhene, and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs earlier on inaugurated a nine-member committee to oversee the construction of a befitting edifice for the House.

He said chieftaincy was still very relevant adding; “let us not relegate it to the background”.

Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin said any attempt to down-play the relevance of chieftaincy would have serious negative ramifications for the country.

“Other countries tried it, and they are paying dearly for it,” he said.