LEND SUPPORT TO NEW CHIEFTAINCY BILL (Page 20)

Story: Joe Okyere, Cape Coast

THE Minister of State in charge of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr S.K. Boafo, has called on chiefs to support the new Chieftaincy Bill, which is currently before Parliament in order to reflect modern realities and address their concerns.
Mr Boafo said the numerous disputes that had affected the institution was the result of unqualified people who were enstooled or enskinned as chiefs.
He described Act 370, which dealt with the chieftaincy institution as completely outmoded and needed to be overhauled to reflect the realities of the day.
Mr Boafo was speaking at the end-of-year gathering of chiefs and people of the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District at Breman Asikuma.
He expressed regret at the installation of foreigners as "Nkosuohene" (Development Chiefs) and said that had had a negative impact on the chieftaincy institution.
He said some of those chiefs even tried to usurp and undermine the authority of the very chiefs who bestowed that honour on them.
The minister advised them to preserve the culture and values that promoted the institution.
An Accra-based consultant, Mr Joe Appiah, called for a leadership which would be accountable to the people, and urged the people to support the district administration and work hard in their own interest.
The Adontenhene of the Breman Asikuma Traditional Area, Nana Okor Yaw Abonyi IV, said the Stool Lands Administration had not served the interest of chiefs properly and, therefore, called on the government to streamline it to make it more beneficial to them.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Emmanuel Adjei-Domson, used the occasion to honour Mr Boafo and Mr John Kofi Mensah, General Manager (Client Services) of uniBank (Ghana) Limited, for their support for the district.
He also said a brochure on the district would be launched.
Mr Mensah, who chaired the function, commended Mr Adjei-Domson for spearheading the development of the area.