The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has described as inappropriate calls to review the Constitution to enable chiefs to participate in partisan politics.
He said as custodians of the land, chiefs were highly revered in the Ghanaian society for their nobility and that placed them above active political activities.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah said this at a durbar at Anloga in the Volta Region last Saturday to climax the 2025 Hogbetsotso Za of the people of Anlo.
“It is only when politicians cause chaos that we call on our chiefs to intervene, call the politicians and their followers to order, and restore calm,” he said.
Partners
Mr Asiedu Nketiah said before the arrival of Europeans in the country, the chiefs ruled their subjects and ensured there was law and order in the society.
In modern times, he said, governments have recognised chiefs as partners in democratic governance.
He said it was, therefore, worrying that the many areas in the country were plagued with chieftaincy disputes threatening the very foundation of society.
“The institution that should ensure peace in the society has now become an arena of chaos,” the NDC national chairman complained.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah pointed out that the government was using colossal amounts of money to settle chieftaincy disputes, to the detriment of national development.
In some cases, troops had to be sent to the conflict area at a high cost to the state, he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah entreated traditional authorities to settle chieftaincy disputes in their areas amicably without resorting to violence, in the broader national interest and to protect the sanctity of the chieftaincy institution.
Regional minister
For his part, the Volta Regional Minister, James Gun, said there were now 66 cases of chieftaincy disputes before the Judicial Committee of the Volta Region House of Chiefs (VRHC).
That picture, he said, was very unpleasant and seriously inimical to the security and development of the region.
Mr Gunu, therefore, called on the VRHC to stake a firm stance to rid the region of such cases and pave the way for progress in the communities.
He said it was in that vein that the Volta Regional Coordinating Council recently organised a training for members of the judicial committee of VRCC to address the cases without delay.
“We are looking for rapid progress in an ambience of total peace,” the regional minister maintained.
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