Members of the National House of Chiefs have expressed worry over the continuous rate at which they are shifted to various ministries under the subsequent governments.

According to them, they are tired of these inconsistent placements under various ministries, according to the government of the day.

They have therefore made a strong appeal to Parliament to facilitate a structural shift that would place the chieftaincy institution directly under the Office of the President, rather than the current system of oversight through various ministries.

The call was made by the President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, during a formal interaction with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Chieftaincy in Kumasi . The committee, led by its chairperson, Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, visited the house to gather firsthand information on the challenges facing traditional authorities for deliberation and possible solutions on the floor of parliament.

The primary focus of Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II’s address was the need to preserve the independence and dignity of the chieftaincy institution. His call reiterated the earlier call made by the chief of Bompata, Nana who had already urged the committee put in effort that could help remove the chieftaincy institution from the various ministries.

Speaking on behalf of the national house of chiefs, the president argued that the frequent reshuffling of the House under different ministries often disrupts administrative flow and undermines the unique constitutional status of traditional leaders.

"Chieftaincy is an independent institution rooted in our history and the 1992 Constitution," the President stated. He proposed that, given its critical role in national development and peace-building, the National House of Chiefs should be anchored directly within the Presidency, similar to other independent constitutional bodies. This move, he said, would provide the institution with more direct access to resources and ensure its operations are not subject to the changing priorities of various sector ministries.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the Select Committee, Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, introduced the purpose of the engagement, explaining that the committee’s mission is to act as a bridge between traditional authorities and the legislature.

He noted that Parliament is keen on understanding the specific bottlenecks ranging from the high cost of resolving chieftaincy disputes to the lack of adequate resources for the various Houses of Chiefs, so that these issues can be formally raised for executive action. Dr. Asamoah assured the House that the committee is committed to ensuring that the concerns of chiefs are prioritized in the national discourse.

The National House of Chiefs also highlighted that placing the body under the Presidency would help insulate it from unnecessary bureaucratic delays and further strengthen the relationship between the state and traditional leaders.

The engagement concluded with Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi thanking the committee for such an important visit and expressed optimism that the Select Committee would champion this structural reform, alongside other pressing issues such as the prevention of partisan interference in chieftaincy and the proper funding of the Regional and National Houses of Chiefs to expedite dispute resolutions.