Zongo Chief addresses United Nations Youth Parliament

The Parliament of the United Nations Youth Association, Ghana, has held its 3rd Parliamentary sitting of the 2nd section at Kofi Drah Conference Room, Legon in Accra.

This year's sitting was focused on addressing issues affecting the country.

Key areas discussed included the unethical behaviour of some operators of television stations who give airtime to money doublers, fake religious leaders, quick money scammers and profane music.

These according to the institution are major contributing factors for the rot among minors in the country".

The house also debated on the budget as presented by the Majority Leader of the Parliament, Kyei Mensah Bonsu on behalf of the Government of Ghana.

Addressing members, the National Head of Chieftaincy of the Association and the Chief of Ablekuma Agape Gonse Chief Sherif Adams expressed his condolence to the family of the 10 year old boy who was killed for rituals in Kasoa few days ago.

He stated that the invaluable role of the chieftaincy institution cannot be over emphasized adding that Chieftaincy is often referred to by most people as one of the oldest and highly cherished human institutions in Ghana and across the world.

According to him Chieftaincy is at the very heart of the people and it epitomizes the embodiment of the people it represents.

According to him, the institution also serves as a medium for the expression and protection of the tradition, social, economic and developmental expectations of the people as well as serve as a uniting force for mobilizing people for several communal activities that promote community development in most local communities.

Chief Sheriff Adams revealed that Chieftaincy has been involved in local government functions in the promotion of development under the Native Authority System during the colonial days and similarly today post colonial period the role of chieftaincy in local governance and development cannot be questioned.

He added that chapter Twenty Two, Articles 270 to 277 of the 1992 constitution is solely dedicated to chieftaincy.

The chapters he said, do not just emphasise the constitutional recognition and protection of the chieftaincy institution but also creates a parallel
system of governance.

According to him, it is also important to state that most of the current developed democracies and economies in one way or the other practice chieftaincy and still hold on dear to their traditions.

He said countries like China and Japan have successfully used traditional institutions to achieve socio-economic development.

Also Netherlands, Belgium and Norway are countries operating constitutional monarchies.

Chief Sheriff Adams stated emphatically that chieftaincy is expected to play a leading role in promoting and ensuring social economic human development of their people and communities.