"Fiagas" are paramount chiefs - Nana Soglo Alloh declares

Ho, June 17, GNA - The Chieftaincy Act of 2008 made all chiefs with the title "Fiaga" in the Volta Region paramount chiefs, Nana Soglo Alloh IV, Vice-President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs.

Speaking at a general meeting of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs on Wednesday, he said, there should be no ambiguity about that since articles 12 (1) and 13 (1) of the Act was clear on the matter. Nana Soglo Alloh, who is also the Paramount Chief of the Likpe Traditional area, said the title "Fiaga" of a traditional area in Ewe is the same as Paramount Chief of that traditional area in English. He explained that article 12 (1) indicated that there shall be a Traditional Council in every traditional area while article 13 (1) states that the Paramount Chief or "Fiaga" of a traditional area shall be the President of the Traditional Council. Nana Soglo Alloh, however, indicated that whereas the Act recognised Fiagas as Paramount Chiefs of their traditional areas, they could however not constitute traditional councils unless with the consent of the President of the Republic because Traditional Councils are statutory bodies.

He, therefore, advised that traditional areas wanting to establish traditional councils to apply to the President of the Republic with copies to the National House of Chiefs, the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and the Ministry of Chieftaincy. Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, Paramount Chief of the Anfoega Traditional area quoted articles 12 (1) and 13 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act 2008 regarding paramount status and said "the law is our strength. 17 June 09