Chieftaincy is anachronistic institution - Blay

Accra, March 27, GNA - Mr. Freddie Blay, Deputy Speaker of Parliament on Thursday stated that the chieftaincy institution is anachronistic which must be dumped into the abyss of national museum for the country to move forward.

He said, the institution had created more confusion, civil strive, war and litigation that had retarded national progress - "talk of Bawku, Yendi, even in Accra, and in my own home town.chieftaincy conflicts abound everywhere."

Speaking at the annual symposium of the Philosophy Students Association (PHISA) of the University of Ghana, on the theme; "Is Representative Democracy a Fair Form of Governance for a Developing Nation like Ghana," Mr. Blay described most cultural practices as artefacts for the museums.

He noted however, that culture is dynamic therefore traditional institutions need to refine our cultural practices to conform to modern day development.

Mr. Blay also debunked the notion that democratic governance was alien to African and Ghanaian traditional governance system. He emphasis: "We were not having any system of governance, we had fragmented localised system, the Akan traditional system, Ewe traditional system, Ga traditional system etc. which differs from each other. Even the way we install a chief also defers from one tribe to the other."
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament noted that, with the ambiguity in the chieftaincy institution, it was difficult for the House to pass the Chieftaincy Bill before rising as there were numerous problems that needed to be addressed.
On democratic governance, Mr. Blay noted that, it was the best form of ruling a nation, stressing that our hybrid system of governance have all the structures for the separation of powers, checks and balances, independence of the judiciary, and a vibrant media.

Accra, March 27, GNA - Mr. Freddie Blay, Deputy Speaker of Parliament on Thursday stated that the chieftaincy institution is anachronistic which must be dumped into the abyss of national museum for the country to move forward.

He said, the institution had created more confusion, civil strive, war and litigation that had retarded national progress - "talk of Bawku, Yendi, even in Accra, and in my own home town.chieftaincy conflicts abound everywhere."

Speaking at the annual symposium of the Philosophy Students Association (PHISA) of the University of Ghana, on the theme; "Is Representative Democracy a Fair Form of Governance for a Developing Nation like Ghana," Mr. Blay described most cultural practices as artefacts for the museums.

He noted however, that culture is dynamic therefore traditional institutions need to refine our cultural practices to conform to modern day development.

Mr. Blay also debunked the notion that democratic governance was alien to African and Ghanaian traditional governance system. He emphasis: "We were not having any system of governance, we had fragmented localised system, the Akan traditional system, Ewe traditional system, Ga traditional system etc. which differs from each other. Even the way we install a chief also defers from one tribe to the other."
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament noted that, with the ambiguity in the chieftaincy institution, it was difficult for the House to pass the Chieftaincy Bill before rising as there were numerous problems that needed to be addressed.
On democratic governance, Mr. Blay noted that, it was the best form of ruling a nation, stressing that our hybrid system of governance have all the structures for the separation of powers, checks and balances, independence of the judiciary, and a vibrant media.