The District Chief Executive for Akatsi North, Dr Prince Amuzu-Sodoke has decried the phenomenon of tagging traditional rulers in the Volta region as either belonging to the New Patriotic Party or National Democratic Congress.
According to the DCE, the tagging of Chiefs as either NPP or NDC which is gaining weight by the day is unfortunate and has the tendency of further denigrating the chieftaincy institution.
He noted that such situations could force traditional rulers could be forced into silence even when it comes to speaking to issues of significant national importance.
“It has become the recent conversation in this country that some Chiefs are being tagged as NDC or NPP when they make remarks about duty bearers and that, indeed, I find very worrying. The Chiefs have a constituency, they have communities they superintend over and the other people in these communities actually have views and opinions on duty bearers and so, the chiefs get the privilege to express it on their behalf and sometimes, chiefs advise the duty bearers on what is good or otherwise,” he said.
“This trend of tagging them because of some commentaries they make must stop because that would translate into discouraging our chiefs from speaking,” he added.
Though Dr. Amuzu Sodoke would not support calls for chiefs to be allowed to engage in active partisan politics, he noted that they [Chiefs] are also human beings who have every right to share their opinions on political matters of national importance.
The DCE’s comments are in reaction to claims that government is scheming to get some known pro-NPP Chiefs elected as President at the various Regional House of Chiefs; who would in turn elect a President for the National House of Chiefs.
While the Volta regional house prepares for that election today, Thursday 15 October 2020 rumours are rift that the Awomefia of the Anlo State, Togbui Sri III who is said to be in the contest is government’s favourite and has the support of President Nana Akufo Addo.
But Dr. Amuzu-Sodoke said the claims are frivolous, insulting and disrespectful to the chieftaincy institution.
“Now in the Volta region, it’s even worse, where you can have for the Regional House of Chiefs’ election, certain thinking that a chief is NPP and therefore the government of NPP is mobilizing counter chiefs to contest them, it’s very sad. If it were the chiefs themselves claiming to be NPP or NDC then it shouldn’t be countenanced. It’s disrespectful to say a chief is NDC or NPP and so this is what I want us to discourage.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/103.5fm/Faisel Abdul-Iddrisu