info@businessghana.com
The President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs (VRHC), Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, has expressed grave concern over how paramount queens in the region are not given their right to preside over traditional council meetings in the absence of a substantive paramount chief.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic prior to a general meeting of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs in Ho, Togbe Hodo said the practice was contrary to the express provision of the law.
He made it clear that paramount queens were next in seniority to the paramount chiefs, under the Chieftaincy Act.
Therefore, he said, paramount queens had the right, in that capacity, to preside over traditional council meetings where there was no paramount chief to attend such meetings.
Togbe Tepre Hodo, who is Paramount Chief of Anfoega, cited Section 15 (3) of Act 759 which stipulates that “The president of the traditional council shall preside at meetings of the traditional council and where the president is unable to attend a meeting, the chief next to the paramount chief in seniority on the Council shall preside at the meeting.”
In that regard, the President of VRHC further explained that in the absence of a substantive paramount chief, the Paramount Queenmother, being the next in seniority as recognised under the Traditional Council structure, shall preside over such meetings as acting president until a new paramount chief is duly installed.
Togbe Tepre Hodo directed all traditional councils to adhere strictly to that provision and warned that the VRHC would not hesitate to take the appropriate steps to ensure compliance where necessary.
Meanwhile, the Paramount Queen of Mepe, Mamaga Adzo Sreku IV, has hailed the directive from the VRHC as most fitting, saying it would serve the broader development interest of the traditional areas and the entire region.
She said queens had valiant roles to play in the areas of health, sanitation, education, and national development, and must never be prevented from carrying out those roles.
