Lawra (U/WR), Oct.7, GNA - Naa Puowele Karbo III, Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area, has said that strong traditional governance was a key determinant for the progress of the country. He said the Lawra Traditional Council was introducing some reforms to broaden the participation of the people to help enhance local governance at the grassroots level.

These, he said, include the filling of 10 vacant skins with chiefs, the registration of 18 chiefs as required by the law and the increasing the representation of sub-chiefs at the council's meetings from 17 to 33. Naa Karbo III said this during the celebration of the 93Kob-bine" festival of the chiefs and people of the area. He said the Council had enskinned 93Lawra Pognaa", a leader for women, and was working to enskin others at the divisional and sub-divisional levels to give a voice to women in the governance of the society.

He said the Council also directed all chiefs to elect eligible "Bepolenamine" or youth leaders for their respective divisions and submit their names to the Council for registration. Naa Karbo III said he was unhappy with the trend of expensive funerals being organised and the excessive alcohol intake by the youth, women and the elderly in the area. He said the erosion of core traditional family values of respect for the elderly, and the general indiscipline among the youth were some of the negative social acts and tendencies that could affect the progress and development of the area.

Naa Karbo appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, the district assembly and the leadership of the various community youth development associations to join hands to fight the problems of the area.

He said the traditional council was working on appropriate bye-laws to help address social challenges and appealed to non governmental organisation for their support to help educate the people against those practices.