Joint Action to Rid Chieftaincy of Disputes

GOVERNMENT is about to embark on a joint campaign with traditional authorities to rid the chieftaincy institution of all factors that breed conflict within it.

Furthermore, the government is to step up the retrieval of firearms illegally acquired by individuals and groups, as part of measures meant to stem the spate of chieftaincy clashes in particular and violence in general.

The special assistant to the Minister of Information, Mr. Ferdinand O. Ayim, made these revelations in an interview in the wake of the Yendi crisis and reported cases of chieftaincy disputes from all over the country.

He himself recalled an Accra daily reporting only last week that 200 such disputes are raging in the Central Region alone.

"The government is about to approach the National House of Chiefs to mount a joint campaign to ensure that chieftaincy becomes the revered and respected institution we have come to know it to be so that it does not in any way militate against progress and development," he stated.

Governments' intervention in chieftaincy matters is something the Constitution forbids, in view of the manner the chieftaincy institution was abused in the First Republic.

The current Constitution reserves interventions, conflict resolutions and judicial matters concerning stools and skins to the traditional councils, regional and National Houses of Chiefs.

However, Ayim noted that Government is committed to ensuring peace, order and stability which are prerequisites for the promotion of progress and development, a responsibility, he made it clear, the government would not shy away from.

He expressed regret that though in Ghana's quest for development, chieftaincy is supposed to be a very vital and important cork in the wheel of democracy" of late break-down of law and order in that institution had become too rampant and costly.

Referring to the Yendi fight for instance, he said apart from the incalculable losses in terms of human lives, Ghana is bound to lose billions of cedis on the victims.

Just on fuel that powered vehicles used by the military and police posted to control the situation, the Yendi District Assembly spent ?5million between last week Wednesday and Friday, he said to illustrate the cost.

Accordingly, the "government is bound to take another look at this institution, not with the view to adulterating it in anyway, but with the view to smoking out the factors that breed these conflicts and potentially endanger the whole country", Ayim stressed.

On the escalation of the illegal possession of arms, he indicated that it is becoming disturbing.

Arms used in the Yendi battle included not only locally-made guns but AK 47s J3s and other imported powerful assault rifles, he noted.

"Therefore the government wants to clean the system of arms, to disarm the people to prevent them from perpetuating violence with them."

Ayim explained that though no express provision exists for the thorough clean-up, the government would as part of its long-term measures of ensuring peace, consider embarking on such an exercise