Paramount queens in the Eastern Region have commended the Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr Henry Siedu Danaa, for their inclusion in the National House of Chiefs.
Speaking at a day’s workshop to sensitize the queens on their inclusion in the National House of Chiefs, Nana Akua Asantewa III, the Paramount Queen of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, said the decision was in the right direction.
She said the composition of the Regional and National Houses of Chiefs was male bias in spite of several interventions globally to address the relegation of women issue to the background.
Nana Akua Asantewa pledged that they would use their role as mothers in solving the numerous chieftaincy related cases in the region possibly using Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism.
Addressing the queens, Dr Danaa said the legislative instrument being developed to give legal backing to the inclusion of queens in the National House of Chiefs was in tune with the democratic system of Ghana.
According to the Minister, the issue of women inclusion had been on the drawing board for a while, and that if the queens were not included in the National House of Chiefs, it would create problems of parity.
He expressed regret that queens were left out of meetings of Regional Houses of Chiefs when they could make meaningful contributions to strengthen the chieftaincy institution.
Dr Danaa said the role of chiefs was paramount to the peace and development of the country; that when the capacity of chiefs is strengthened, it would boost their performance.
He said until the chieftaincy institution remodel some of its customs to reflect modern trends, life within chiefdom would remain the same every day.
The Minister said in order to sustain the institution, chiefs ought to play significant roles to bring change to reflect modern needs.
The Minister assured the queens that efforts are being made by his outfit to improve upon allowances for them and appealed to the women not to feel intimidated when they join the National House of Chiefs.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Helen Ntoso, re-affirmed the government’s commitment not to meddle in chieftaincy affairs.
