Chiefs in Eastern Region attend a day's workshop

Koforidua, July 09, GNA - The Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on Friday held a day's workshop in Koforidua on the Chieftaincy Act 2008 for chiefs in the region. The workshop, which was sponsored by the Konard Adenaner Stiftung, a German political foundation was on the Theme" The New Chieftaincy Act 2008: its implications for Chiefs." Professor Kwasi Jonah of the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, reminded the chiefs that section 57 (3) prohibits them from taking part in active politics and a chief wishing to do so or seeking election to Parliament should first abdicate. He said nothing in the Act prohibits chiefs directly or indirectly from taking part in local government or taking up any national appointment for which they are duly qualified. Prof Jonah mentioned some major issues of concern about the forth-coming District Assembly elections to include huge increase in number of districts and the attendant problems and low-turn out due to voter apathy.

Others were candidate apathy at Unit Committee and Assembly levels, restrictive campaign platform ACT 473, re-alignment of electoral areas, huge number of apathetic unit committees and low or inadequate participation of sections of the population. Prof Jonah appealed to chiefs to caution government against rapid increase in number of districts and also to advise and encourage their people to turn out in their numbers to vote. Dr H.S. Daannaa, Director of Research, Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, mentioned certain provisions in the Act, which constituted important landmarks in the development of chieftaincy as the publication of the "Chieftaincy Bulletin". He said the bulletin would be the official publication of the National House of Chiefs on matters of and affecting Chieftaincy. Dr Daannaa said the bulletin would not only inform the public about who and who are chiefs in Ghana but also to know who are Chiefs of good standing as against those who are self-proclaimed in the eye of the law. He said another matter that had been addressed by the new Act is that of electing members for National and Regional Houses of Chiefs for four year period instead of three years. Mr Issac Owusu-Mensah, the Senior Programme Manager of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, appealed to chiefs to call on their people to actively participate in the district level elections.