Chief advises colleagues to eschew corruption

The Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Anhwianso Traditional Area, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, has appealed to traditional rulers to shun corruption and exhibit fairness when adjudicating cases.

He said the social fabric of society was being eroded because traditional rulers who are supposed to serve as role models sometimes engaged in corruption.

“Politicians are not the only people who are corrupt but some chiefs also engage in acts of corruption in adjudicating cases in the palace,” he said when contributing to a discussion on the Proposed Constitutional Amendment process and the urgency for Multi-party Governance Reforms at a stakeholders’ meeting in Takoradi.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi said it was time traditional rulers respected themselves and exhibit exemplary leadership for the citizens to emulate for a better future.

“Nowadays, chiefs lobby for appointment to the Council of State because they will be rewarded with V-8 vehicles and GH¢ 200,000 as ex-gratia so how do you expect the politicians to respect us”, he said.

The event was organized by IDEG in collaboration with Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) and other partners and brought together heads of departments, traditional rulers, assembly members, non-governmental organizations, faith-based Organisations, youth groups and the media.

The Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove and Vice President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, expressed disquiet over the deterioration of values and appealed to the citizenry to adopt positive attitudes in order to build a better country.

Dr Kwesi Jonah, a Senior Research Fellow of IDEG and former Head of the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, said the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) was formed in 2010 to solicit inputs from the general public towards the review of the 1992 Constitution in order to address certain gaps and weaknesses inherent in it.

He said although the CRC had completed and presented its report to the government with subsequent issuance of government White Paper there was the need for more time to deliberate and take fresh suggestions because the 97 provisions penciled down for amendment would not comprehensively address the operational and electoral challenges facing the country.

Dr Jonah said the issue of election violence had threatened the peace and security of the country since 2008; therefore there was the need for electoral reforms to cure the “Winner-Takes-All” system and promote inclusive governance.

He therefore appealed to the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) to publish both the entrenched and non-entrenched provisions identified for amendment so that the people would make the right choice during the national referendum.