MMDAs to support traditional rulers to adjudicate chieftaincy cases

Winneba, Aug. 6, GNA - Discussions are between the ministries of Chieftaincy and Culture and Local Government and Rural Development for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to provide financial support to traditional councils for the adjudication of chieftaincy cases.

Mr. Alex Asum-Ahensah, Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, who said this in a speech read on his behalf at a two-day workshop for chiefs and queen mothers of Effutu Traditional Area at Winneba, said the financial support would enhance speedy resolution of chieftaincy cases.

Winneba Peace Initiative, a local non-governmental organisation in collaboration with the German Development Cooperation, organised the workshop to promote reconciliation, peace and development in the municipality.

Mr Asum-Ahinsah said his ministry was supporting the National House of Chiefs in its projects of Ascertainment of customary law and the codification of lines of succession to stools and skins as demanded by the constitution.

He said records at the ministry showed that as at May 31 2010, 212 chieftaincy cases were pending before Regional and National Houses of Chiefs and out of this number 31 were pending before Central Regional House of chiefs.

The minister said under the chieftaincy Act 759, it would be wrong for anyone or group of people to cause destoolment, deskinment or enstoolment or enskinment of a person as a chief without recourse to the laws of the tradition.

Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, the Central Regional Minister, appealed to the Regional and National Houses of Chiefs to speed up resolving chieftaincy cases before them so that the tension and inaction in the affected areas would end.

The Minister said the figure excluded cases pending before the traditional councils and those on arbitration.

The Regional Minister expressed satisfaction that the initiative for the workshop was mooted by concerned citizens of Effutu who felt the need for peace in the area and appealed to the chiefs to burry their differences to support the peace and reconciliation initiative their kiths and kins had taken.

Nii Ephraim, the Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, appealed to chiefs and the people of the area to consider the huge expenditure the assembly incurred every Aboakyere Festival to maintain security officers who are brought to the municipality to maintain peace.

He said such expenditure had seriously affected the assembly's development budget.

Mr. Alex Bonney, Chairman of the Winneba Peace Initiative, said the NGO would not relent in its efforts to bring peace to the area and called for cooperation from the chiefs.