V/R House of Chiefs retains Gabusu

Ho, Oct. 7, GNA - Togbega Gabusu, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area was on Thursday proclaimed as President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs for a second three-year term.

Togbe Delume VII, Paramount Chief of the Ve Traditional Area in the Hohoe District becomes the new Vice-President of the House to replace Nana Okotor Kofi, Paramount Chief of the Nkonya Traditional Area.

Mr James Arthur-Yeboah, Deputy Volta Regional Director of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) who supervised the election procedure said the two were the sole candidates for both positions at the close of nominations on September 7, this year.

Nana Mprah Besemuna, Paramount Chief of the Krachi Traditional Area, Nana Kwaku Boateng, II, Tapa Traditional Area, Nana Aburam Akpandja IV, Buem Traditional Area were also named as representatives of the House to join the President and his Vice to meetings of National House of Chiefs.

Mr. Justice Paul Gyaesayor, Supervising High Court Judge for the Volta Region, who administered the oath of office and secrecy cautioned them to live by the dictates of their vows or be sanctioned. He advised Chiefs to endeavour to handle disputes brought before their adjudicating committees expeditiously and candidly to avoid the frequent recourse to the High Courts.

Mr. Justice Gyaesayor advised the Chiefs of the feuding Alavanyo and Nkonya traditional areas who were at the meeting to impress on their subjects to live in peace.

"If the Chiefs of the two towns can sit together why can't their people live together," he said.

Togbega Gabusu, in his acceptance speech said in-fighting and sectionalism was the bane of development of the Volta Region. He said the Volta Regional House of Chiefs would set up a committee to settle the dispute between the Adaklu and Agotime Tradtional Areas over the location of the capital of the newly created Adaklu-Anyigbe District. ? Togbega Gabusu asked government to avoid actions that could worsen the situation in the region, saying, "if a Legislative Instrument (LI) had been passed let us be firm on it".

He expressed concern at the continuing falling standards of education in the region.

Mr Edward Marfo, Director of Chieftaincy at the Chieftaincy Secretariat said the revered Chieftaincy institution was still relevant to good governance in the country.

He said the Secretariat would intensify efforts, with the support of non-governmental organisations, to improve the capacity of adjudication of Traditional Councils.