Ministry of Local Government to enhance capacity of VRHC

The Ministry of Local Government Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has pledged to address the problems of staff shortage facing the Volta Region House of Chiefs (VRHC) as a matter of priority.

“This is because Volta Region House of Chiefs occupies a uniquely strategic position within Ghana’s governance architecture,” said the sector minister, Ahmed Ibrahim.

At an emergency meeting of the VRHC in Ho last Friday, he said the government cherished the house for its valiant role in maintaining peace, resolving disputes, and promoting social cohesion within the highly diverse and rapidly expanding region.

Mr Ibrahim said the work of the VRHC was central to stability in the region, given the region’s complex social dynamics and its importance to national political and economic life.

He conceded that the shortage of essential sub-professional staff, including bailiffs, security personnel, and cleaners posed serious operational, administrative, and security challenges to the smooth functioning of the house.

Challenges

Mr Ibrahim said those challenges went beyond administrative inconveniences, affecting efficiency, dignity, and effectiveness of the chieftaincy institution, and by extension, peace and development within the communities.

To reverse that trend, he said the government remained fully committed to strengthening the capacity of all the regional houses of chiefs.

Pursuant to that, the minister said, the government would continue to engage the relevant stakeholders to explore practical, sustainable, and realistic interventions within the framework of national priorities and available resources.

He reaffirmed the government’s recognition of the inevitable roles of chiefs in meaningful national development initiatives and would, therefore, continue to revere the chieftaincy institution.

Touching on the government’s 24-Hour Model Market initiative, Mr Ibrahim said traditional authorities were particularly needed to support the process by making available suitable land to facilitate the construction of the markets across the country.

“The procurement process is currently underway to engage contractors to replicate the satellite market designs, with the objective of decongesting existing central markets,” he told the House.

Mr Ibrahim said chiefs were the custodians of land, for which reason their collaboration with the MMDCEs represented a significant and commendable step towards accelerated development.

“As the implementation of the 24-Hour Model Market, envisaged as a one-stop commercial hub, commences, traditional leaders who provide land for the project will be duly acknowledged and accorded the appropriate recognition,” he pledged.

Peace in region

The President of VRHC, Togbe Tepre Hodo, said peace was prevailing in the region, and the house would not condone any act of divisiveness from any individual or group.

He said the house would always cooperate with the government in all matters of nation-building.

Present at the meeting were the Minister of Roads and Highways, Governs Agbodza, and the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu.