The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has through it’s acting Chief Director, Kananpewurche Lily Fati Soale elevated the Busunu traditional area to a status of a traditional council on behalf of the sector Minister, Hon. Ebenezer Kojo – Kum.
This was witnessed in an inaugural ceremony on Saturday, 28th January, 2023 at the Palace of Busunuwura Monasa Jonokpowu II in Busunu.
In a welcome address read on behalf of the Paramount chief for the Busunu Traditional area, Busunuwura Monasa Jonokpowu II explained that the inauguration of the Busunu traditional council is a dream come true and that before the creation of the Savannah Region, the use to operate together in one traditional council making it very difficult to conduct effective administrative work.
The Paramount chief for the Busunu Traditional area revealed that his Traditional area can boast of a total number of 77 sub-chiefs comprising 47 male chiefs and 30 queen mothers making it eligible with the requisite resources for the development of Busunu and its environs hence the need to have a Traditional council which he said will bring a lot of benefits to the people of the Busunu traditional area including employment and resource mobilization.
He also noted that the establishment of the traditional council will give them the opportunity to foster unity in the area and bring about the desired development of the Busunu traditional area.
He also mentioned that the creation of the traditional council will in no doubt bring the administration of traditional matters to their doorsteps and also be used to galvanise among other things and organize its own meetings that will be given legal backing by the Chieftaincy act.
He further noted that development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and called on all sons and daughters of Busunu to rally behind the traditional authority and continue to hold the
banner of peace aloft.
The President of the savannah Regional house of chiefs and overload of the Gonja Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Yagbonwura Prof. Sulemana Tuntumba Boresa I in an address read on his behalf by the Regional house of chiefs Registrar, Mr Abutu Kapori expressed his congratulatory message to the chiefs and people of Busunu on their new status and thanked the chieftaincy and Religious affairs Ministry for the honor done to the various councils created adding that it is the first time additional traditional councils are being created in the savannah region in fifty years apart from the Gonja Traditional council.
He noted that members of the council have been taken through oaths to confirm their membership to the council and that the oaths taken are meant to remind and guide them at their committee levels in adjudicating or mediating on matters affecting chieftaincy in the Traditional area and therefore entreated the chiefs as they are put into committees to mediate in a manner that will bring justice and peace to the people of the Busunu Traditional council.
He also explained to members on the importance of the oaths the were sworn into particularly the oath of secrecy which he said is required of members not to involve any information of the council to non members unless the are required to do so.
He further explained to them how their work as a council is going to be and entreated them to let the oaths guide them in the administration of the council.
In a key note address behalf of the Minister for chieftaincy and Religious affairs before the inauguration of the Busunu Traditional council, the Acting Chief Director for the Ministry, Kananpewurpe Fati Lilly Soale explained that the government led by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo attaches much prominence to the administration of chieftaincy in the country because of the role of the Chieftaincy institution plays in maintaining peace and ensuring development at the grass root level.
The Acting Chief director also explained that the Ministry has been mandated to develop an effective interface between government, traditional authorities, religious bodies and civil societies on matters relating to chieftaincy and religious affairs for the promotion of peace and good governance.
She said the past roles of chiefs included leading their people to war, to defend, protect and extend territories but Currently, chiefs are required to lead in the war against environmental degradation, poverty reduction among others aimed at achieving some level of development at the local and national levels adding that the new role of chiefs imposes the need for some form of adaptation or revision and training to enable him/her to fulfil his/her responsibilities and therefore called for the need for the chiefs to understand the processes and procedures involved in resolving conflicts through the judicial and arbitration system and other alternative methods in resolving conflicts that may arise within their traditional area or localities as well as understanding the process involved in allocating land, granting leases and land administration in general.
She continued to explain that as chiefs or traditional authorities, they need to also understand and know some of the laws and Acts covering the Chieftaincy Institution including the Prime one which is the Chieftaincy Act of 2008, Act 759.
The acting chief director also explained that the inauguration of the Busunu Traditional Council will pave way for the realization of some of the issues faced in the area including facilitation of training programmes for the Chiefs and Queen mothers and setting up of judicial committees for their Traditional Council.
She added that it will also allow the Council to exercise its mandate as enshrined in section 29(1)(2) of the Chieftaincy Act which says a Traditional Council has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine a cause or matter affecting Chieftaincy, which arises within its area, not being one to which a paramount chief is a party.
On membership of the Traditional Council, the acting chief director explained that a Traditional Council shall consist in addition to the President of persons shown in the National Register of Chiefs as the members of the Traditional Council adding that a person shall not be considered to be a chief for the performance of a function unless that person has been registered for the performance of that function in the National Register of Chiefs and that person’s name have been published in the Chieftaincy bulletin.
whilst congratulating the chiefs and Queen mothers of the Busunu Traditional area on their new status, Kananpewurche said there is certainly a lot more of work to be done even as they strive collectively to resolve chieftaincy matters and expand their frontiers for development.
She said, the inauguration should be seen to integrate the people of the Busunu Traditional area especially the revered Chiefs to work hand in hand for endless development to see progress and unity among them but not to disintegrate them.
She also assured that the Ministry would ensure the posting of staff either on temporal or permanent basis to help with the administration and assist them with logistics.
The President and members of the Busunu Traditional council were sworn in by the Magistrate Judge of the Bole Magistrate Court.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden/0243531604
