Chieftaincy disputes account for two-thirds of national security threats — Ahmed Ibrahim
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has stated that chieftaincy disputes have become a major security threat to the entire country.
He explained that chieftaincy conflicts accounted for two-thirds of all the 429 national security hotspots across the country.
"Chieftaincy disputes remain a national security threat.
The disputes are two-thirds of all the national security threats in the country," Mr Ibrahim said when he paid separate courtesy visits to the Bono and Bono East Regional Houses of Chiefs in Sunyani and Techiman.
The visits were to formally introduce himself as the Sector Minister and to solicit their support.
Appeal
Mr Ibrahim appealed to traditional authorities to help the ministry resolve the disputes to promote peace and development.
He urged the traditional councils to put in place proper succession plans to avoid chieftaincy litigations.
"Without peace and unity, we can't develop the country", he said, adding that the ministry was working hard to resolve the disputes, including the Sampa chieftaincy disputes.
Prioritise development
At Techiman, Mr Ibrahim urged chiefs to prioritise development and avoid disputes since it retarded progress.
He called for dignity and decency in the process of installing chiefs.
"Let's not make chieftaincy appear like the delegates system where the highest bidder wins," he said.
Consult chiefs
The Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister further charged the metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to consult chiefs before initiating projects and activities in the districts.
That, according to him, would help smooth execution and speed up development since chiefs were the foundation of development.
He said the government had paid the first and second quarters of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), while the process was far advanced to pay the third quarter in the coming weeks.
44 disputes
The President of the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Owusu Sakyi, said 44 outstanding chieftaincy-related disputes were pending before the house.
He used the occasion to appeal to the minister to assist the judicial committee of the house to fast-track their resolution.
Bawku conflict
The President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, said if Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, resolved the Bawku chieftaincy conflict, he (Dormaahene) would offer him two cattle as his appreciation.
He said he was saying that to appreciate the role Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was playing to resolve the long-standing conflict.
He urged the government to release funds to the traditional judicial committees to speed up the hearing of chieftaincy disputes, stating that most of the cases were pending because of a lack of funds for the judicial committee to work.
Osagyefo Agyemang Badu urged the government to investigate, arrest and prosecute persons, including the current government officials, who embezzled state funds.
Bad roads
The Vice-President of the House, Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II, also bemoaned the deplorable state of roads in the region, which he said was gradually bringing socio-economic activities to a halt.
He appealed to the minister to facilitate the rehabilitation of the roads.
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