We will codify lines of succession - Ababio

Kpone, Aug. 20, GNA - Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, President of the National House of Chiefs, on Saturday pledged the House's determination to carry out research for the purpose of codifying the various lines of succession to stools and skins in the country. By fulfilling this constitutional mandate, he said, the right choices would be made when it came to enstooling or enskinning chiefs, thus, reducing to the barest minimum the numerous chieftaincy disputes confronting the House.

Odeneho Ababio gave the assurance when he joined the chiefs and people of the Kpone Traditional Area to celebrate a reconciliation durbar as part of activities marking their annual Homowo festival at Kpone.

The reconciliation durbar became necessary because after litigating for some time now, over which of the three Royal Houses in the area qualified to select a candidate to be chief, the three houses resolved the matter amicably, resulting in their signing a memorandum of understanding.

The durbar was aimed at reconciling the three king-making houses, after they had smoked the peace pipe and pledge to rally solidly behind the current paramount chief, Nii Tetteh Otu II, in his bid to develop the area.

To seal the reconciliation, a ram was slaughtered to signify that the royal houses had buried their differences and were now poised to forge ahead in unity in all their endeavours.

Odeneho Ababio reiterated the need for kingmakers to ensure that laid down procedures were followed when it came to issues about the enstoolment and destoolment of chiefs.

He urged royals who were parties to succession disputes, kingmakers, the youth and the media, to acquaint themselves with the appropriate customary and legal procedures, so that they did not resort to unorthodox measures, which tended to create tension and instability within the affected traditional areas.

Odeneho Ababio, who was the Special Guest of Honour, said the National House of Chiefs was collaborating with NGOs and stakeholders, in taking steps to modernise inimical customary practices that impeded development and progress.

He assured Ghanaians that the chieftaincy institution was undertaking a self-appraisal with the view to making it relevant in the 21st century.

The President of the National House of Chiefs noted with satisfaction that most chiefs were playing effectively their leadership roles of mobilizing their people to initiate development projects. He observed that since most traditional rulers were influential and highly valued in society, it was not surprising that the chieftaincy institution had been transformed into a body capable of getting into partnership with government in deliberating over issues like good governance, land and other polices to ensure improved living conditions for Ghanaians.

Odeneho Ababio commended organizers of the function for their foresight and initiative and expressed the hope that the reconciliation durbar would bring about the much needed peace, unity, stability and development in the Kpone Traditional Area.