CULTURAL NEWS
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
‘DON’T ENTERTAIN APPLICATION FROM CHIEFS
FOR ELEVATION’
By: GODFREY K. NYANNEY, NSEIN
The government has been cautioned against the manner in which it handles unwarranted applications from certain traditional councils, particularly, from the Western Region for “wholesale elevation of some divisional chiefs to paramount status.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, paramount chief of Nsein traditional area sounded the warning when he addressed this year’s Kundum Festival durbar which also marked the celebration of the 40th anniversary of his installation as Omanhene of the Nsein traditional area.
He said that, if the government is not circumspect with such applications, it would create fertile grounds for endless chieftaincy dispute in the country.
Awulae Kwame II, said that normally, a chief who historically does not serve under any Omanhene is the one who could be considered for elevation as an Omanhene.
He commended President J.A. Kufuor for establishing the Ministry of Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs which he said has resolved the myriad of problems confronting the chieftaincy institution.
Awulae Kwame appealed to the government to renovate the Nsein Secondary School, tar the main street in the town, and maintain the Dadwen-Averbon, Abun Nyame-Adelekezo and the Kegyina-Onzaeye-Krobokron feeder roads.
He also appealed to the government to pay land royalties to the chiefs and the people of the seven traditional areas in the Western Region on whose land Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL) operates.
The Western Regional Minister, A.E. Amoah urged the chiefs in the region to unite and exchange traditional visits to exchange ideas on how to contribute towards improvement in education, health and other developmental needs of their people.
He assured the chiefs and the people that the government continued assistance to provide their development needs.
Papa Owusu Ankomah, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant, also addressed the gatherings.
*Source:
The Ghanaian Times Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Page: 16 |