By Samuel Akumatey
Fievie (V/R), Nov. 14, GNA – Miss Fati Lily Soale, Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has called on traditional councils and connected stakeholders to enhance the population of Traditional Councils to enable them function effectively.
She said the essence of traditional councils was in the integration of chiefs and the people for “endless development,” and that its membership of legitimate rulers must be supported by all.
Miss Soale, who had been spending the week inaugurating Traditional Councils across the Volta Region, made the call while opening the Fievie Traditional Council of the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The Traditional Council has Togbe Agama Amatta IV, Paramount Chief of the Fievie as President of the Council, and Mankralo Dagadu IV, as member.
The Acting Chief Director, said traditional leaders must endeavour to attain membership of the Council to contribute to its functions.
“The law says you need three or five members to form a Judicial Committee. So you should fast track the gazetting of your chiefs,” she said.
Miss Soale said the government, recognizing the role of traditional authority in national development, continued to hold the chieftaincy institution in prominence, and therefore the advancement of traditional councils would help position traditional authority.
She said chiefs would have to effectively deliver administrative and judicial roles, and must keep knowledge of methods and tools of alternative conflict resolution.
Harry Attipoe, Registrar of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, said ungazetted chiefs should not be considered irrelevant, and that once their names were entered in the national register of chiefs secured, they would be sworn into the Council.
Togbe Ayite Awaga IV, Dufia of Fieve Dugame, who chaired the inauguration, said the Council would help ensure collective responsibility, and that “all non-gazetted chiefs should come together and fill the forms to be gazetted before the end of this year”.
A traditional council office was also inaugurated, all in the presence of traditional leaders and other stakeholders.
Togbe Agama Matta said the Council status was “historic”, and should be instrumental in securing the needed development.
Traditional councils were also inaugurated for the Penyi, Klikor, Somey, and Mafi Adidome Traditional Areas.
The Acting Chief Director said the Ministry would provide the needed staff and training to ensure the effective operation of the Councils.
GNA