Dear Editor, your article with the above headline which featured in your “COMMENT” of June 17, 2010, is baffling, confusing and strange.

You seem to be saying that the layout of the letterhead from the Ga Traditional Council, “gives the impression that it is the carrier of an official statement by a ministry, department or agency of government” it is the carrier of an official statement by a ministry, department or agency of government.” It is even more alarming when you wrote that the Chieftaincy Ministry has been aware of this letterhead but not very pleased!

 I think the public needs to know that the Ga Traditional Council, like all other traditional councils in the country is a statutory body, guaranteed under Article 270 of the 1992 Constitution; and as such, by an Act of Parliament, it operates under the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture.

It has also been given a clear mandate in Section 29 of the Chieftaincy Act of 2008, Act 759, to have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine a case or matter affecting chieftaincy which arises within its area.

The scanned letterhead states very clearly, on line two, “Ga Traditional Council,” then on line three, “Greater Accra Region.” For you information, these letterheads are supplied from the ministry itself. Therefore, for the same Ministry to comment that they are “..

not very pleased with it” rather demonstrates one of two things – incompetence or bias against the Ga Traditional Council.

A careful examination of other letterheads bearing the “Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture” title will indicate clear differences between the various statutory bodies which operate under the Ministry’s wing. For example, a memo or directive is coming from the State House will have “STATE HOUSE” inscribed under the “Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture” letterhead form and therefore any individual will understand where that memo or directive is coming from.

The press statement issued by the Ga Traditional Council is merely stating facts as required by law. It was signed by a qualified registrar, - a civil servant who is doing her job well. If the individual, to whom the statement was directed, is not happy or believes the statement is not true, then he has recourse to the courts.

Perhaps the Ga Traditional Council should be using such statements more often, for it will alert the public as to who is the legitimate occupier of any given stool and thus help to end all the unnecessary and protracted chieftaincy disputes.

Perhaps too, the newspapers may rethink their reporting methods when it comes to chieftaincy affairs by being circumspect and factual. It is only puts will end. A paper (which I shall not mention here) and earlier published a full court Judgment, and then a few days later published the opposite of what had been adjudged.

Jonathan Kommey, (Not the MP)

℅ GA Traditional Council, North Kaneshie, Accra.

*Source:

                The Ghanaian Times               Page:   9                      Monday, July 19, 2010