Accra, July 25, GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, noted that some unscrupulous people were fanning chieftaincy conflicts in order to benefit from the potential and ultimate reward of controlling community resources in defiance of social norms.
Making the observation at the launch of a 704-page book on "The Law of Chieftaincy in Ghana," in Accra on Thursday, he stressed that conflicts revolving around rights to accession or land had led to deaths and destruction of property.
"Whole communities are displaced, schools closed down, government business comes to a halt, economic activities are stopped and money meant for development projects are diverted to maintain peace," Alhaji Mahama said.
The book, written by a 67-year old Supreme Court Judge, Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey, contains 30 chapters, which incorporates Customary Arbitration, Contempt of Court and Judicial Review. Vice President Mahama said accession to the high office of chieftaincy had become highly desirable and expectations of those who owed allegiance to chiefs at local level had risen quite high. He noted that the reverence of chieftaincy and the traditions it represented was recognised in law by the constitutional provisions that protected the institution.
"The Constitution appears not to have gone into enough detail about how the institution of chieftaincy is to be preserved and sustained. Beyond specifying that chiefs are to progressively codify oral traditions and lines of succession, the Constitution does not state clearly other functions and is silent on critical issues of accessions to stools and skins, remuneration and accountability." Vice President Mahama expressed satisfaction that Justice Brobbey has provided guidelines on how to deal with some of the thorny issues that provoked conflict.
He said "We can be sure that we are on good grounds because the Author comes to this work with impeccable credentials. "The Author carefully guides us through the causes of chieftaincy disputes, qualification of potential chiefs, procedure for installation, responsibilities of chiefs and their functions, including the crucial one of customary arbitration".
Justice Brobbey said his study of the Chieftaincy Bill in 2000 inspired him to write the book adding that he had to revise the manuscript a number of times due to the five different bills which were introduced between 2000 and 2008.
The Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood announced that the Judicial Service and the World Bank were embarking on a two-year project that would kick-off in October, this year, to build the capacity of chiefs and traditional authorities. She described the book as an excellent source of customary arbitration.
Nii Ossah-Mills, President of the Ghana Bar Association, said the book was in-depth literature that could be of immense significance to lawyers and researchers among others.
Nana Akuoko Sarpong, Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of Agogo Traditional Area, and a Legal and Cultural Consultant, described the book as a landmark in the chieftaincy institution. Mr Justice V.C.R.A.C Crabbe, a legal luminary and retired judge, who reviewed the book, said it explained the constitutional and legal basis of chieftaincy and recommended the literature for members of the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.
The first copy of the book, which had a market value of 150 Ghana cedis, was auctioned for 1,000 Ghana cedis at the ceremony witnessed by Ministers of State, Members of the Council of State, chiefs, judges and lawyers.
