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Veep condemn brains behind
chieftaincy conflicts
Accra, July 25, Ghanadot/GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu
Mahama, noted that some unscrupulous people were fanning
chieftaincy conflicts in order to benefit from the potential
and ultimate reward of controlling community resources in
defiance of social norms.
Making the observation at the launch of a 704-page book on
“The Law of Chieftaincy in Ghana,” in Accra on Thursday, he
stressed that conflicts revolving around rights to accession
or land had led to deaths and destruction of property.
“Whole communities are displaced, schools closed down,
government business comes to a halt, economic activities are
stopped and money meant for development projects are
diverted to maintain peace,” Alhaji Mahama said.
The book, written by a 67-year old Supreme Court Judge,
Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey, contains 30 chapters, which
incorporates Customary Arbitration, Contempt of Court and
Judicial Review.
Vice President Mahama said accession to the high office of
chieftaincy had become highly desirable and expectations of
those who owed allegiance to chiefs at local level had risen
quite high.
He noted that the reverence of chieftaincy and the
traditions it represented was recognised in law by the
constitutional provisions that protected the institution.
“The Constitution appears not to have gone into enough
detail about how the institution of chieftaincy is to be
preserved and sustained. Beyond specifying that chiefs are
to progressively codify oral traditions and lines of
succession, the Constitution does not state clearly other
functions and is silent on critical issues of accessions to
stools and skins, remuneration and accountability.”
Vice President Mahama expressed satisfaction that Justice
Brobbey has provided guidelines on how to deal with some of
the thorny issues that provoked conflict.
He said “We can be sure that we are on good grounds because
the Author comes to this work with impeccable credentials.
“The Author carefully guides us through the causes of
chieftaincy disputes, qualification of potential chiefs,
procedure for installation, responsibilities of chiefs and
their functions, including the crucial one of customary
arbitration”.
Justice Brobbey said his study of the Chieftaincy Bill in
2000 inspired him to write the book adding that he had to
revise the manuscript a number of times due to the five
different bills which were introduced between 2000 and 2008.
The Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood announced that the
Judicial Service and the World Bank were embarking on a
two-year project that would kick-off in October, this year,
to build the capacity of chiefs and traditional authorities.
She described the book as an excellent source of customary
arbitration.
Nii Ossah-Mills, President of the Ghana Bar Association,
said the book was in-depth literature that could be of
immense significance to lawyers and researchers among
others.
Nana Akuoko Sarpong, Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of Agogo
Traditional Area, and a Legal and Cultural Consultant,
described the book as a landmark in the chieftaincy
institution.
Mr Justice V.C.R.A.C Crabbe, a legal luminary and retired
judge, who reviewed the book, said it explained the
constitutional and legal basis of chieftaincy and
recommended the literature for members of the Executive,
Legislature and the Judiciary.
The first copy of the book, which had a market value of 150
Ghana cedis, was auctioned for 1,000 Ghana cedis at the
ceremony witnessed by Ministers of State, Members of the
Council of State, chiefs, judges and lawyers.
GNA
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