EDITORIAL: When are We Going to Learn?

When the late Yaa Naa, the overlord of the Dagbon state and 40 of his subjects were cruelly murdered during the Dagbon chieftaincy crisis, many were those who thought the unfortunate incident would serve as a wake-up call to the government, the security agencies and the institution of chieftaincy as a whole in the country.

The incident nearly set this country ablaze especially with the accusations and counter accusations that followed. Fortunately God was on our side and we were able to overcome the tragedy. Almost six years down the line, Ghana is on the way to experiencing yet another incident, this time at Anloga in the Volta Region. Just last week Thursday, but for divine intervention, we would have experienced another shocking and tragic event. The latest incident clearly shows that the government, security agencies and the chieftaincy institution have not learnt anything from the Dagbon crisis. The government has the constitutional mandate of ensuring law and order within the territorial boundaries of this country. With such powers one does not need to remind the government to put preventive measures in place to avoid such happenings, but alas! the opposite seems to be the case.

We admit that the Constitution debars the government from interfering in chieftaincy matters but this, to us at The Chronicle does not mean that the government of the day should sit down and fold her arms when she can clearly see the looming danger signs. When the announcement was made that Togbui Sri was going to be installed as the new Awoamefia, the reaction that followed alone should have woken the government from her slumber but nothing happened.

Now, the government has waited for four precious lives to be lost before revoking the relevant portions of the Constitution to halt the intended installation of the man whose royal lineage is in serious dispute. Now, if stopping the installation to ensure law and order would amount to government's involvement in chieftaincy matters, what is the government going to tell Ghanaians? That it has used the due process of the law to stop it? Is it not the same interference?

Some of the prominent people from the area including Mr Raymond Okudzeto, a well-known member of the ruling NPP are already accusing the government and some of its renowned members of backing a faction in the dispute. In order to free her from this accusation, one would have expected that the government would go to court to place an injunction on the intended installation until the factions in the dispute have exhausted all the legal avenues.

This was not done but instead security men were sent to protect one of the factions to carry out its intended mission. With some of the people already having the perception that the government is supporting their opponent, what would a discerning person think would happen? The Chronicle thinks every law that has been enacted is subject to the dictates of the Constitution.Therefore, non-interference in chieftaincy matters by the government should not blind her to sit idle when there is a clear signal that danger is imminent.

Whilst condemning the government for her apparent lapses, we also wish to express our shock at the role played by both the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and their national secretariat in Kumasi. We believe that the two bodies were set up by law to handle some of these cases but so far no meaningful contributions have come from them in resolving the matter. If they had deeply gotten themselves involved in the matter it would not have reached this simmering point. We submit that the Dagbon case and the latest Anloga incident should be a wake up call to both the government and the various houses of chiefs.

The Chronicle would also like to condemn the cruel manner in which some misguided people at Anloga murdered the police officer. We hope that the law would deal drastically with those who would be found culpable. It is about time we put an end to these unnecessary attacks on police officers who are only carrying out their constitutional duties. What crime did this peace officer commit to warrant this treatment?

This crime defies all human comprehension. The perpetrators must therefore be dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others.