Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo
The ruling New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer, Kwame Baffoe known in political circle as Abronye DC has called on Parliament of Ghana to inform the Electoral Commission (EC) as matter of urgency to organise a by-election in the Kpone Katamanso of the Greater Accra Region to elect a new Member of Parliament for the Constituency.
The incumbent MP for the area, Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo has been enstooled as regent of Katamanso to take up the affairs of the divisional area due to the ailing health of the current Chief Nii Otu Akwetey.
Nii Otu Akwetey has been unwell for some time and could no longer run the affairs of the area hence the need for the elders to enstool the MP as the regent to act on behalf of the ailing chief.
But in a statement issued on September 24, 2017, Abronye DC is insisting that Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo is flouting laws of the 1992 constitution as he remains a sitting MP for Kpone Katamanso after being installed as Chief.
According to him, the former Greater Accra Regional Minister can choose to resign as a Lawmaker and keep his position as a chief otherwise he’s in breach of Article 276 of the 1992 Constitution which states that, “a chief shall not take part in active politics, and any chief wishing to do so must or shall abdicate his stool or skin".
Find below the full statement;
Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC), Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer of NPP Writes!
Is Nii Laryea Afoto-Agbo still a Member of Parliament for Kpone -Katamanso or What?
About three months ago, Hon Nii Laryea Afoto Agbo was nominated and enstooled or installed as the Acting Paramount Chief of Kpone -Akatamanso in the Greater Region.
For my little understanding, an acting chief is a chief since that person was nominated and enstooled in accordance with the relevant provisions under the customary law and practice.
To throw more lights on the above, I would therefore refer my readers to Section 58 of the Chieftaincy Act 2008, Act 759 as amended which talks about categories of Chiefs and these are ?a? Asantehene and Paramount chiefs ?b? Divisional chiefs ?c?Sub -Divisional Chiefs ?d?Adikrofo ?e?other chiefs recognise by the National House of Chiefs.
I will rely my argument on the last category of chiefs that is other chiefs recognise by the National House of chiefs. Issues .?1?Whether or not an acting chief is being recognised by the National House of Chiefs. (2?Whether or not an acting chief must be someone who hails from the appropriate family and lineage as emphatically stated in Article 277 of the 1992 constitution and Section 57 subsection ?1?of the chieftaincy Act.
Yes, an acting chief is been accepted by the house of chiefs to represent his traditional council at any meeting and to perform his customary duty as customs and traditions demand.
Per the letter and spirit of article 277 of the 1992 constitution and Section 57?1) and 58 respectively of the chieftaincy Act, 2008 , Act 2008 one cannot be nominated or selected as chief or Acting chief without coming from the appropriate family. In this regard, Hon Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo cannot continue to hold himself as Member of parliament for the good people of Kpone Katamanso in view of the fact that, he has been nominated and installed as the Acting chief of Kpone Katamanso which is contrary to Article 276 of the 1992 constitution, which states that, a chief shall not take part in active politics, and any chief wishing to do so must or shall abdicate his stool or skin.
This was re- stated in section 57?3?of the chieftaincy Act, Act 759 as amended.
In the aforesaid, Parliament of Ghana under the Chairmanship Prof Aron Mike Quaye is mandated to inform the Electoral Commission to organize a bye- elections at Kpone - Katamanso .Failure to do that , amounts to tarnishing the image of the 1992 constitution.
