Accra, May 10, GNA- Mr Prince Bagnaba Mba, President of Forum for Equity, a human rights Non-Governmental Organisation has appealed to traditional rulers to be proactive and take preemptive moves against partisan politics.
“As traditional leaders, we must stand firm and should avoid the dictatorship of any Politician that will want to push us around to achieve political points.”
Mr Mba, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on political interference in traditional activities in Accra on Tuesday said Royalty was all about leadership and with well-defined roles within government and they must assert and exhibit the capacity of carrying the people along in the absolute interest of development.
He said the country was endowed with abundance of natural resources from Aflao to Zanlerigu, and it was therefore incumbent on the chiefs and traditional rulers to mobilise their subjects to undertake communal ownership of viable ventures.
“Paramount chieftaincy should not be a part-time vocation. We have instances of absenteeism and the infiltration of foreign religious practices to the detriment of traditional worship and practices.”
He said Political appointees and elected representatives normally had specified durations, but as custodians of culture, chiefs should rise up to the challenges of making the best out of the present circumstances.
“How does one explain the absence of many traditional chiefs, who only rush back home to welcome important dignitaries and return back to base”.
He accused King Makers of enstooling or enskinning unqualified contestants based on political influences from the top, or due to the highest bidding, which resulted into confusion, conflicts and unending litigation.
“Too much dependency on central government without resources curtails the development agenda of traditional areas. Governments come and go back, but the traditional Authorities must galvanise the process to ensure better standards of living.”
GNA