Chiefs must participate in local govt -Justice

Justice Lamptey suggests participation of Mr Justice George Lamptey, Chairman of thePresidential Advisory Committee on Chieftaincy Affairs, has suggested an active participation of chiefs in the local government system.

He said if the local government system was supposed to be non-partisan, then chiefs who were the custodian of the land should be allowed to participate fully in all political structures at the local government level.

Mr Justice Lamptey was speaking at a day's workshop on 'Consolidating constitutional democracy in Ghana' for members of the National House of Chiefs on Wednesday.

It was organised by the Legon Centre for International Affairs (LECIA) in collaboration with the Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES).

Mr Justice Lamptey said there was the need to take a second look at the constitutional provision that barred chiefs from active politics to enable them to play active roles in the local government system and bring their rich leadership experiences to bear on the assemblies.

He deplored the habit of some chiefs who treated decision of courts with contempt and said those actions had contributed to the rampant chieftaincy conflicts in the country.

Mr Justice Lamptey said since independence, the institution of chieftaincy had been recognized and guaranteed by all successive constitutions and urged chiefs to examine the constitutional provisions critically and come out with suggestions that could enhance their roles and participation in national development.

Professor George Hagan, Chairman of the National Commission on Culture, said the constitution was a sacred customary tool that regulated the lives of the people.

He appealed to the chiefs to examine the constitution critically and make suggestions that could enable them to contribute to national development.

Professor Kofi Kumado, Director of LECIA, said there was the need to involve all shades of opinion in debate on the constitution as a means of sustaining democracy in the country.

He said chiefs who symbolised the embodiment of the people needed to make their views on the constitution known and make suggestions in areas that might affect their roles in national development.

Odeneho Gyapong Ababio, President of the House, urged his colleagues to take a critical look at the constitutional provision that barred them from active politics and make suggestions that could help change