House of Chiefs doesn’t practice executive presidency - Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II

The decision by the President of the National House of Chiefs (NHC), Togbe Afede XIV and Vice President Daasebre Nana Kwebu Ewusi VII to issue a statement on behalf of the 50 members of the house has been described as an "abuse of administrative procedures".

According to the Paramount Chief of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area, also the Chairman of the Governance Committee of the NHC, there has not been any discussion yet as a house on taking a stance on the December 17 referendum.

“I am a member of the planning committee and the chairman of the governance committee and also a member of the National House Chiefs and we have not discussed this issue. Even if there has been a letter stating the position of the NHC on the referendum, it is still against normal administrative procedures”, he stated.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II explained that the normal and acceptable practice of the house is to allow the secretariat to issue the statement, stating the position of the house and not the President and his Vice issuing a statement not coming from the secretariat.

“Meanwhile, our registrar or secretariat was not involved. It is against even administrative procedures that I, as a Regional President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, will sit down with my Vice to write a letter, stating our position of the referendum”, he reiterated

He stressed that “as for me, I will not lie but speak the truth always and that is to say that administratively, it is wrong for the President and his Vice to write such a letter expressing their position on December 17 polls”.

He pointed out that the National House of Chiefs (NHC) does not practice executive presidency; indicating that whoever is chosen as a leader is strictly from among equals.

“National House of Chiefs doesn’t practice executive presidency. Whoever is our leader is strictly from among equals and so whatever we all meet and discuss is what we put out. Granting that at a certain stage some of the chiefs said that, when two political parties take a stance, the paramount chiefs must isolate ourselves from party partisan politics”, he said.

He, however, wondered why it took the President and his Vice a long time after the NPP and the NDC have both taken their stance on the referendum to issue a statement, declaring the stance of the National House of Chiefs (NHC).

“NPP is campaigning for Yes and the NDC is campaigning for No and if our decision is for No. Why did we wait for the NDC to say No before our President and the Vice said theirs in public? What were they doing? It is not true; we have not met anywhere to discuss this”.