Accra, Sept. 11, GNA – The Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ghana Office has held a joint meeting for Paramount Chiefs and Paramount Queen Mothers in the Bono and Bono East Regions.
The inaugural meeting, held in Sunyani as part of activities marking the 60th anniversary of KAS, was on the theme: “Traditional Authorities in Ghana: Chiefs and Queen Mothers in Peace Building and Development.”
It sought to strengthen the voice and capacity of traditional authorities in modern governance, development and conflict resolution.
Dr Joseph Darmoe, Programmes Director of KAS Ghana, said chieftaincy and land disputes remained a major concern in the two regions, with prolonged disputes undermining development.
“Let me be direct, as of 2025, the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs alone had more than forty (40) outstanding chieftaincy and land disputes on its books,” he said.
He said the Regional Peace Council had engaged traditional councils on the issue, particularly how succession disputes weakened chieftaincy authority, strained communities and delayed development.
“Peace is not a by-product of development. It is the condition for it. No investor commits to a district where the boundaries of a stool are contested,” he added.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, said chieftaincy disputes in the region were increasing partly due to delays in adjudicating cases through the judicial system.
“Some cases have taken over 20-25 years without adjudication, making others to take advantage of the situation,” he said.
He said traditional authorities lacked the time and financial resources required to effectively adjudicate cases at the Regional House of Chiefs.
“Our traditional authorities do not have time and they are not given monetary resources to adjudicate cases at the Regional House of Chiefs.
“Even though the government has increased the stipends for Chiefs, resources are not provided for settlement of cases,” he stated.
Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, former Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and a facilitator at the forum, identified disputes over succession and prolonged processes of nomination, installation, legitimacy and recognition as some of the major challenges confronting chieftaincy in Ghana.
The forum brought together traditional authorities to discuss ways of strengthening their role in peace building, governance and development.
GNA