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Mr Dzamesi (middle) with the members of the council
Mr Dzamesi (middle) with the members of the council

Find solution to chieftaincy disputes — Kofi Dzamesi

The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Kofi Dzamesi, has advised traditional authorities to find a solution to the numerous chieftaincy disputes in the country.

He noted that there were about 352 chieftaincy disputes throughout the country and such a situation could not help the country develop.

Mr Dzamesi said this when he was inaugurating a seven-member Asuboa Traditional Council at a ceremony of the chiefs and people at Asuboa in the Asante-Akyem South District of the Ashanti Region.

Asuboa is one of the 14 additional Divisional Stools in the Ashanti Region which were elevated to paramountcy in 1996 by the late Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II.

The traditional areas of the 14 elevated chiefs thus qualify as Traditional Councils in fulfilment of the provisions of Section 12 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act 2008, Act 759, which states that: "There shall be a Traditional Council in each Traditional Area."

Chieftaincy dispute
Mr Dzamesi noted that chieftaincy disputes had retarded progress and development in many communities and created disaffection and intolerance in society.
Now that the council had been inaugurated, he said, it had become a legal entity which could sue and be sued.

He, therefore, called on the council to be circumspect in the performance of its statutory and customary functions to avoid legal actions gainst it.
The minister called on the council to ensure that its activities bring development to the people in the traditional area.

Advice
Mr Dzamesi advised them to come up with meaningful programmes that would help move the area forward and disclosed that the council would soon have adequate staff to man the council offices.

A High Court judge, His Lordship Kofi Akrowiah, who swore the council members into office, urged them to always allow truth to prevail in all activities and not be partial in their decisions.

He said it was only when they made good judgements that people would have confidence in the council.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Asante-Akyem South, Mr Alexander Frimpong, gave an assurance that he would work in close collaboration with the traditional leaders in the district to enhance effective and efficient running of his administration.

Mr Frimpong also advised parents to make sure that their children studied hard to become useful citizens.

He stressed that according to last year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, the district placed 28th out of the 30 districts in the region.

The President of the council, Baffour Kwaku Oforiwa II, who is also the Paramount Chief of Asuboa, thanked the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for the part he played in the process leading to the inauguration of the council.

He gave an assurance that he would use the council to assist in bringing absolute peace to the area.

The Paramount Chief of the Bompata Traditional Area, Nana Effah-Apenteng, who chaired the function, advised members to use the office for the benefit of the people.
He urged them to always apply the law and custom in their activities.

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