Chiefs indulging in politics worrying - NCCE

Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mrs Josephine Nkrumah has expressed concern over the seeming partisanship of some chiefs and traditional leaders in the country.

She said the Commission is disturbed about recent utterances and partisanship actions by some chiefs and traditional leaders ahead of the December 7 general election.

“We cannot be silent about this development. We are aware of the growing phenomenon with some chiefs banning some political actors from campaigning in their traditional jurisdiction,” Madam Nkrumah stated at a press conference in Accra.

“This is unconstitutional and must be condemned by all well-meaning Ghanaians, because Article 3 clause 2 of the 1992 Constitution, states “Any activity of a person or group of persons, which suppresses or seeks to suppress the lawful political activity of any other person or class of persons, or persons generally is unlawful,” she said.

Madam Nkrumah said though the NCCE acknowledged that by virtue of office, chiefs are custodians of traditions, the Commission is mindful of the wisdom that guided the founders of the 1992 Constitution in cautioning the nation’s respected and revered traditional leaders in Article 76 of the 1992 Constitution.

This part of the constitution states; ‘’A chief shall not take part in active party politics, and any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament shall abdicate his stool or skin.’’

She has therefore asked chiefs to act with tact and maturity in order not to sacrifice the sanctity of their office, eroding their respect and role as agents of unity.

“As a country, one of the key institutions we can fall on in times of political crisis is the chieftaincy institution. If our chiefs are perceived as partisan, then, we must be worried as a country,” she stated.

“The Commission also takes the opportunity to caution religious leaders and self-styled prophets to pray for a peaceful election and desist from making prophetic pronouncements that favour some individuals politically and has the potential to fan rancor,” the NCCE Boss added.