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General News of Thursday, 30 August 2001

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Probe Operations Of Houses Of Chiefs -GBA

The President of the Ghana Bar Association, Mr. Ebow Quarshie, has called on both the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and the Police Service to investigate the allegations of corruption levelled against the members of the various Houses of Chiefs. He said apart from the falsification of documents, they are strongly believed to be behind most chieftaincy disputes”.

The GBA president warned that “if chieftaincy as the oldest institution, is not scrutinised, it’s respect and dignity would be eroded.” Mr Quarshie accused some members of the research committee of the various houses of chiefs and their president’s of flouting procedural rules with impunity.

Some members of the committees, he said have become “laws unto themselves.” They flout injuction orders emanating from their judicial committees with impunity. The GBA President asked CHRAJ to examine the procedures used by the various houses of chiefs to see whether they conform to the rule of law and transparency.”

Mr. Quarshie recalled the love and respect Ghanaians have for the institution of chieftaincy, but cautioned that this would be lost unless chiefs as custodians of culture and the rallying point of unity, jealously protect their status and dignity by acting with decorum and respect for law.