Dr Henry Seidu Dannaa, Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, on Wednesday urged traditional authorities across the country to proclaim the maintenance of peace prior to and after the delivery of the judgement in the election petition before the Supreme court.
He said as custodians of the land and tradition, it behoves on them to engage their subjects on the need to remain calm and soberly reflect on the verdict, whichever, way the judicial pendulum might swing to.
Dr Danaa who spoke to the GNA in an interview during his familiarisation tour of the Gbi and Ve Traditional Areas in the Hohoe Municipality and Afadzato South District, said Chiefs, Queens and Elders should prevail on their youths to avoid violence in the aftermath of the verdict.
“Let us remember we are Ghanaians and therefore the need to work for its betterment. Chiefs must lead the peace crusade. Let us all remember there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
Dr Danaa said chieftaincy is about problem solving, dialoguing, which are crucial to the Ministry, and appealed to Chiefs to play roles possible to lessen disputes for increased development.
Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area and seven other Paramountcies in the Municipality pledged to prevail on their youths to leave the issues to the politicians to handle.
He reproduced a memo he tabled to the Ministry some time ago, which entailed the drafting of Queens into the Regional and National Houses of Chiefs and the inclusion of traditional areas in district capitals to benefit from protocol allowances as is the case at the Regional Houses.
Togbega Gabusu said 13 months after the Hohoe disturbance that resulted in an arson attack on his palace; work is yet to commence urging Dr Dannaa to use his good offices to intervene for expedited rehabilitation.
He pledged the area’s support to the Ministry and expressed the hope that government listened to all proposals brought before it to enrich Chieftaincy as an institutions for local governance and traditions.
Dr Danaa’s entourage includes staff of the Ministry, members of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and politicians and expected to tour Anfoega in the North Dayi District and Tapa in the Biakoye District.