Don’t give stools and skins to people with no titles to them

The Wulugu Naba, Naa Professor John S. Nabila, President of the National House of Chiefs (NHC), has asked king-makers not to give vacant stools and skins to people, who have no legitimate titles to them.

King-makers, queens and everybody with a role to play in the installation of chiefs, must stick to proper vetting procedures and customary practices, to prevent costly chieftaincy disputes.

Naa Prof Nabila, addressing an end-of year meeting of the House in Kumasi, said this would help bring down conflicts over stools and skins.

This, he said, is the way to protect the chieftaincy institution.

He expressed concern about piled up cases at the judicial committee, noting that, just three of the total of 93 cases brought before it during the year could be brought to successful conclusion.

This was largely due to its lack of a counsel, and he said, that has now been resolved, and the expectation was that cases would be determined more quickly in the course of next year.

Naa Prof Nabila used the occasion to remind political parties to continue to dialogue on national issues.

It should not be lost on them the need to put the nation ahead of any other interest, he said, adding that improving the situation of the people should be the ultimate goal of every political party.

He spoke of plans by the NHC to actively engage the leadership of the parties on how to pool resources together, to foster peace and make Ghana work.

There would also be meetings with other stakeholders - the security agencies, Council of State, Parliament, the Executive, Judiciary and the civil society organizations, to find ways of making election 2016 peaceful.

He touched on road safety as the nation joined the rest of the Christian world in preparation for the Christmas, and appealed to all road users to be cautious and avoid recklessness.

Dr. Seidu Danaa, Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, said government would continue to give every necessary support to the NHC and regional houses of chiefs to perform.

He cited the supply of vehicles and the appointment of counsels to the Houses as evidence of government’s commitment.