New National House of Chiefs President condemns endorsements

The President-elect for the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, has condemned the endorsements of politicians by chiefs in the country.

The Paramount Chief of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area in the Western North Region said chiefs, just as every Ghanaian voter, have one vote each and so openly endorsing a political party or a presidential candidate, may not fare well for some of their subjects.

Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II defeated the incumbent President of the House, Togbe Afede XIV, who was seeking re-election on Thursday, November 12, 2020.

Togbe Afede, who is the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State in the Volta Region, polled 25 votes as against 47 votes by Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II.

Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II before the election was the Chairman of the Governance and Development Committee of the National House of Chiefs.

Speaking in an interview with Onua FM’s Yen Sempa hosted by Nana Okyere Awurukuo on Friay, November 13, the President-elect said in Twi that “chiefs’ endorsements of political candidates is wrong and we have started educating them in the regions”.

“Some chiefs do these endorsements because they are in need for some projects and so if a government does it for them, they turn to support them. That’s why they do that but we tell them not to because they have one vote.”

Ogyeahohuo Gyebi II said “if [a chief] promises that he and his subjects will vote for [any politician], that becomes partisan and that is what we are fighting against because not all the subjects belong to your preferred party. Everyone has his political affiliation”.

The Chief said they will rebuke any chief who goes contrary to what he and the house would be saying.

“Nananom are not children and so they will understand us. We don’t rebuke chiefs in public but we give advice which is also just as rebuked.”

Ogyeahohuo Gyebi II said “we shall organize workshops for chiefs to stop such endorsements. If the Chief Justice will not make such comments, if a chief also makes such comments, it is wrong”.

Chiefs in politics

When asked whether chiefs should be allowed to do partisan politics, the House of Chiefs President explained “we need a constitutional body on whether chiefs should be involved in politics or not”.

Sharing his vision for the House of Chiefs which propelled him to victory, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II explained that “we need development, we need peace, we need unity”.

“Chiefs should not solely rely on the government for development. We need another source of funding for development,” he explained.

The Chief said “we need a bigger office…our new office was provided by the Asantehene and we need a bigger and new one to accommodate more people. We need to maintain the respect the people accord us”.