Mamfehene bemoans politicisation of development

The Chief of Mamfe Akwapim in the Eastern Region, Nana Ansah Sasraku III, has bemoaned the politicisation of issues, including matters of national development in the country.

He called for a united front to help tackle the myriad of challenges confronting the nation for the betterment of all, instead of taking entrenched positions on such issues.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic last Friday, Nana Ansah Sasraku, who is also the Kyidomhene of the Akwapim Traditional Area said the country was endowed with the needed human resources whose expertise could be tapped into improving governance and sustainability.

He said there were competent individuals, including traditional rulers whose competencies must not be overlooked but employed.

“There may be persons who may be occupying stools but may be endowed with special skills or knowledge that could help in the general governance of the country.

"It would be quite unfortunate if their expertise are neglected just because they are chiefs," he added.

Avoiding partisan politics

He, however, cautioned against the active engagement in partisan politics by traditional rulers.

According to him, traditional leaders served as a unifying force whose primary focus must be to promote peaceful co-existence and also solicit support for the development of the communities within their jurisdictions.

“So, you can imagine, with the current situation of our partisan politics in the country, if you were a chief engaged in active partisanship, how do you, with that extreme involvement in the kind of things that are going on, how do you try to bring contesting parties together to live peacefully? he asked.

Nana Ansah Sasraku also stressed the need for the application of the rule of law in all matters regardless of one’s social status.

He made a clarion call to traditional rulers to desist from acts that might be tagged as interference with judicial matters or circumvention of the law.

“I still will say that let’s apply the laws. If there is a criminal case, even if you the chief commit the crime, the law should deal with you.

"So, you have no business trying to intervene on behalf of anyone who has committed a crime," he said.

Throwing the spotlight on the country’s deficit in youth employment, the Mamfehene insisted that it was incumbent on both traditional and political leaders to prioritise youth employment.

That, he said, would place the youth in productive ventures which would subsequently deter them from living recalcitrant lifestyles.

The chief said Mamfe had initiated a project to employ the youth in vegetable farming adding that it would enable them to make use of the vast lands which had been lying fallow.