Eastern Regional Minister urges House of Chiefs to amicably solve disputes

The Eastern Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong has raised concern about the increasing threat to security and public safety posed by chieftaincy disputes in some parts of the region.

According to him, the hydra-headed problem of chieftaincy disputes continued to be a threat to peace and security in the region, adding that the disputes arose mostly from disagreement over traditional boundaries, property and the right to stool occupancy.

“Indeed, it is not within the purview of the REGSEC to adjudicate these disputes as they are to be resolved by the traditional authorities themselves,” he said and appealed to the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs to step up their efforts in resolving the disputes to pave way for development in the communities in the region.

Mr Seth Acheampong made these statements yesterday during the end of year general meeting organised for this year by the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in Koforidua.

The meeting was purposed to enable the chiefs take stock of the activities of the House during the past year and to plan for the coming year.

Mr Seth Acheampong indicate that the REGSEC has, on a number of times, been compelled to take certain decisions to avert breach of peace in some parts of the region in accordance with the provisions of the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020, (Act 1030).

“I humbly plead with Nananom to bear with the security when such situations arise. It is in the interest of peace,” he said.

He stated that he was aware the House was doing it best to solve the disputes and called on them to continue to support the REGSEC to ensure peace and security in all the traditional areas in the region.

Speaking on capacity building, the Eastern Regional Minister said for the chiefs to be able to perform their function in contemporary times, there was the need to build their capacity to catch up with the complexities in today’s traditional governance.

“It is however important to note that there is a paradigm shift in the functions performed by traditional leaders in contemporary times as they have to tackle poverty, illiteracy, crime, injustice, and environmental degradation among others.”

He said for that reason it has become imperative for traditional leaders to be trained in traditional leadership issues, land administration, conflict management, records and documentation management.

He added that their training could be effective and become useful if they were carried out regularly and extended to cover sub-chiefs and other staff of Traditional Council who play key roles in traditional governance.

For his part, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Nene Sakite II appealed to community members to unite behind their traditional rulers to enable various traditional areas to continue to witness massive development in the years to come.

He stated that development must go hand in hand with peace and unity, adding that chieftaincy institution was the security bedrock of the country, hence the need for parliament to give chiefs back their powers to operate efficiently to maintain peace, security and development

He revealed that the House has been able to dispose off eight chieftaincy cases and would do its best to solve the remaining cases.

From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua