NHC Condemns Installation Of New Ga Mantse

The National House of Chiefs (NHC) has condemned the installation of a rival Ga Mantse when the case against the nomination, selection and installation of King Tackie Tawiah III is still pending at the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC).

The President of the NHC, Wulugu Naba Pugansoa Naa Professor John S. Nabila, said a report received from the GARHC indicated that the adjudication on the judicial challenge to King Tackie Tawiah's installation had reached an advanced stage and, therefore, expressed surprise at the latest development.

Speaking at the second ordinary general meeting of the NHC in Kumasi yesterday, Naa Prof Nabila said what was going on in the Ga Traditional Area had given a bad image to the chieftaincy institution.

'What is going on in Accra is highly unacceptable, since this is the seat of government, with all the foreign missions,' he stressed.

He, therefore, expressed the hope that the protagonists would allow sanity to prevail in the Ga Traditional Area.

'We are fortunate that what is happening in the Ga Traditional Area does not directly affect other areas such as La, Tema, Osu, Nungua, James Town, Teshie and Ngleshie and we call on chiefs in those areas to join forces in helping to find a solution to the crisis,' he said.

He noted that chiefs and community leaders had a duty to support the law enforcement agencies in their work, instead of perpetrating acts that would lead to disorder.

Naa Prof Nabila said a sub-committee set up by the NHC on the application for the elevation of 12 chiefs from divisional to paramount status in the Ga Traditional Area had presented its report and it was left for the full house to debate on it.

While attributing most of the chieftaincy disputes in the country to the inability of the NHC to complete the exercise on the codification of customary laws and lines of succession to stools and skins, Naa Prof Nabila called for funding from the government to ensure that the exercise was complete.

He encouraged the regional houses of chiefs to set up mediation committees to resolve issues on chieftaincy disputes, instead of resorting to the courts.

He emphasised the need for the people to avoid statements and acts that would heighten the political tension in the country.

Ghana, Naa Prof Nabila noted, was highly regarded as a peaceful nation and as such acts that would negate that recognition should be discarded, especially as Election 2012 approached.

He said following an appeal made to President Mills for funds to complete the NHC office complex project at Asenua, near Kumasi, estimates for the project, valued at GH¢375,000, had been submitted to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture for further action.