Asantehene calls for discipline and respect for authority

Acherensua (B/A), June 3, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, Asantehene, at the weekend bemoaned the lack of respect for authority and indiscipline among Ghanaians, which he said was a clear departure from the traditions used to build the nation.

He said Ghanaians, especially the youth, need to exhibit the moral training they have received and help discourage attempts to superimpose imported cultures on the rich Ghanaian culture. The Asantehene was addressing a mammoth rally of chiefs and people of Acherensua in Asutifi District of Brong Ahafo in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the enstoolment of Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Acherensuahene.

He stressed that the democratic dispensation in the country did not mean the trading of insults and invectives and that an elected personality must be accorded all the respect that he or she deserved. "Why do we have to insult our President who has been duly elected by the people", Otumfuo Osei Tutu asked, and noted with regret the practice existed in the Rawlings, Kufuor and Mills regimes. The Otumfuo said partisan politics had created divisions among Ghanaians at a time when the country needed peace most to accelerate development and urged all to eschew insults, bitterness and other delinquent acts.

On chieftaincy, the Asantehene advised kingmakers to always ensure that the right person occupied the stool and not to allow just anyone to claim any stool with money.

We need truth in the chieftaincy institution and we must eschew lies and avoid taking money from persons to annex the stool. Transparency must permeate all chieftaincy affairs, he said. Mr Ahuma Ahensan, Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, who represented President Mills, commended Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Acheresuahene, for the securing relative peace in the traditional area as there was no significant chieftaincy dispute. He urged chiefs to help diffuse chieftaincy disputes to ensure continued and sustained peace for progress and development. The Minister affirmed government's position not to meddle in Chieftaincy but could not allow acts that would derail the country's progress to persist in any traditional area. Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Maafo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, said the government would continue to collaborate with chiefs for accelerated national development.

He said the government appreciated the role of chiefs in nation building and would tap the expertise and knowledge of chiefs in the development efforts.

Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, appealed to Ghanaians to give due respect to people in authority.

He promised to rehabilitate the market at Acherensua and also construct a classroom block for the local Islamic Primary School in support of Agyewodin's efforts at developing the area. Agyewodin appealed for unity among Ghanaians, noting with regret the rising indiscipline among particularly the youth who had been gripped by the vanity of foreign items and lifestyles. He advised chiefs and kingmakers of areas with chieftaincy disputes to exercise restraint and avoid acts that could lead to disputes.