Chieftaincy Act is to be reviewed, says Odeneho Ababio

Sekondi, Jan 11, GNA - The Chieftaincy Act of 1971, Act 370, would soon be reviewed to conform to the 1992 Constitution, Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, President of the National House of Chiefs, has told journalists on Monday.

He said some provisions of Act 370 conflicted with the 1992 constitution and there was the urgent need to revive it to meet modern trends.

Odeneho Ababio said the chieftaincy bill is currently being prepared to facilitate the revision of the act and would soon be laid before Parliament.

He said the House would soon introduce a Code of Ethics for all traditional areas in the country to regulate the activities of chiefs, queen mothers and others in the chieftaincy institution.

"Without a code, some chiefs and queen mothers behave any how and this could bring their stools and skins into public ridicule and abuse," he said.

Odeneho Ababio appealed to chiefs and queen mothers to respect themselves and ensure that only genuine and qualified persons ascend thrones.

"We must not allow people with money but are not eligible to ascend any throne in the country to reduce the increasing chieftaincy disputes in the country," he added.

The President said the National House of Chiefs has documented 90 succession lines out of the 193 traditional areas in the country. "These documentations are aimed at assisting traditional areas in choosing qualified successors to ascend thrones in the future," he said. Odeneho Ababio said the house was not happy about the several cases of litigation in most areas of the country and that this is a disturbance to peace, development and the preservation of culture and traditions.