Chieftaincy institution still relevant

16/04/08
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
A MEMBER of the Council of State, Mr Kwaku Kyei, has debunked claims that the chieftaincy institution is not relevant to the socio-economic development of the country, explaining that chiefs are the embodiment of unity, peace and the development of the country.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Freddie Blay, is reported to have intimated that the institution has no place in contemporary society.
But Mr Kyei, who was expressing his opinion on the issue to the Daily Graphic, said chiefs served as unifiers, as they brought their subjects together for development purposes.
For instance, he said, chiefs were able to mobilise their people to work as a family towards developing their communities.
Besides, he said, because of the reverence accorded chiefs, many people complied with the laws and regulations governing their respective areas.
“Without chiefs, there will be disorder in many towns, as the people will not obey the laws,” he stressed.
Mr Kyei said chiefs had played key roles in propelling the socio-economic development of their respective communities before the emergence of the colonialists.
He said chiefs served as administrators, arbitrators and initiators of development projects and that it was the colonialists and subsequent political rulers who undermined the powers of chiefs.
He noted that the problems associated with the chieftaincy institution were “man made” and mentioned political interference and problems associated with succession as some of the causes of chieftaincy disputes.
He advised individuals who had problems with their chiefs to iron their differences and restore the prestige of the chieftaincy institution in their respective areas.
Mr Kyei said the debate on whether the chieftaincy institution was relevant in contemporary times or not was a non-starter, since the institution was sacrosanct and connected to the lives of Ghanaians.
Chiefs are the custodians of Ghana’s customs and traditions and are the bedrock of Ghanaian culture. They are the custodians of land and traditional authority and they also provide leadership.