House of Chiefs 'irrelevant' - Lepowura

Consulting Director of the Otumfuo Centre for Traditional Leadership and Lepowura of the Kpembi Traditional area, Alhaji Mohammed Nuru-Deen Jawula, says the country’s house of chiefs have been rendered irrelevant.

According to him, Chiefs played a critical role in fighting colonialism but have been disregarded in present day because the chieftaincy institution is under-resourced.

According to him, until this change is effected, traditional rulers will always fall to the whims and caprices of political leaders, explaining why some are already dabbling in partisan politics regardless of the provisions in the country’s constitution barring them.

Speaking to Ultimate News, the Lepowura observed that chiefs in other countries are properly resourced and therefore do not fall prey to resources from politicians.

“How much are our chiefs paid in Ghana? Find how much chiefs are paid in other countries like Nigeria, Senegal and you will understand,” he observed.

He disclosed that the poverty level wage of chiefs in Ghana who are supposed to be the custodians of the land accounted for most of them seeking favours from politicians considering their commitment to subjects.

“Chiefs in Ghana cater for a lot of things at their own expense,” he noted

Lepowura called for proper resourcing of the various House of Chiefs in order to enable them properly deliver on their mandate and also eschew the practice where some chiefs have turned themselves into praise singers of politicians for favours.