Mr Prince Bagnaba Mba, President of Forum for Equity, a human rights organization has called on Kingmakers to exhibit a high level of transparency and sincerity in their traditional adjudications to avoid chieftaincy disputes.
That, he added demanded integrity and strong-heartedness to decipher the truth from deceit to create a conducive atmosphere for peaceful co-existence.
‘Chieftaincy disputes are not easily resolved because of lack of transparency and sincerity of elders in the royal court who act as advisors and Kingmakers.
‘Contestants to any stool or skin should also be subjected to DNA test to ascertain true blue blood or royalty’.
Mr Mba who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on chieftaincy issues in Ghana has attributed political interference and corruption as the root causes of conflict, which enabled non-royals with political influence to ‘hijack the age-long traditional system of government’.
He said such conflicts created unnecessary and avoidable crises leading to the loss of lives and
property and halted and grounded economic activities.
‘It is only true sons and daughters who are entitled to inheritance, but the present manipulative approach casts doubts about eligibility. It’s really unwelcoming to have two or more chiefs contesting for authentication’.
He said monies spent on chieftaincy trouble spots could easily be used for industrialization to create jobs and stabilize the economy.
Political elites, youth groups, and local politicians in Ghana have all used chieftaincy conflicts to further their political and economic goals with reasonable levels of success.
Political actors recognise that chiefs are crucial allies in winning elections. And it goes both ways. Candidates for chieftaincy positions rely on the backing of local and national leaders to help them achieve control over a traditional area.
Therefore reverence for chieftaincy comes under threat in so far as subjects consider chiefs as political tools.
The ultimate danger is the weakening of state institutions and the con
tinuation of violence which invariably affects development and democracy.
In resolving chieftaincy conflicts and stopping their politicisation, the various houses of chiefs should be empowered and be the only institutions for handling chieftaincy issues. Secondly, there is a need to codify the lines of succession in Ghana.
Source: Ghana News Agency