Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Chiefs Cited for Youth Violence Over Nomination of MMDCEs


N/R Minister
Some Chiefs and traditional rulers have been cited for the lead roles in the violent agitations against the nominations of some District Chief Executives (DCEs) in the Northern Region. They have therefore been reminded that their offices bar them from engaging in such acts which tends to cast a slur on their reputation and the office they hold.
 
The Northern Regional Minister, Bede Ziedeng who made the observation indicated that key traditional rulers in the region were said to be compromising their integrity and respect, by leading riot youth to violently reject nominations and confirmations of some DCEs for their parochial interests. 

According to the Minister, even though the constitution provided for freedom of expression and democracy, it was completely unacceptable for traditional rulers who were entrusted by the same Constitution as the custodians of the land, to instigate young people to destroy state properties in protest against people who are nominated by the President as DCEs.

Speaking at the 2nd Ordinary Meeting of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs in Tamale, Lawyer Bede Zeideng cautioned the chiefs to stop meddling in political matters which he indicated expose them to public derision and mistrust. 

“Nomination and confirmation of District Chief Executives are political matters and it is safer for the Chiefs to be out of them. Even though as citizens and people who are part of the local governance system, they are also entitled to express their opinions or views but they can only do so through lobbying and not to incite people to cause destructions”. 

In the last few months, the ruling government has had it very tough to win the support or backing of some community leaders and youth groups, who somewhat hold the view that they were not consulted before some of the nominations were done. 

However, the Northern Regional Minister was of the view that using violence instead of dialogue and negotiation, would affect the smooth development of the region, since development he noted, could not strive in the midst of violence. 

According to Mr. Bede Zeideng, the region had already suffered serious socio-economic setback and appealed to the chiefs and people to cooperate with government to put up the necessary structures at the assembly level to facilitate development. 

On the other hand, the Minister also descended heavily on the traditional leaders in the Northern region for engaging themselves in multiple sales of land to local and foreign developers, thereby creating tension and unhealthy litigation in the region.

He lamented what could best be termed as “the selfish conduct” of some of the chiefs who are bent on selling almost every piece of land in their localities.

He further lamented that “lands belonging schools, hospitals, state institutions and even those reserved for roads, markets, recreational and industrial purposes are being sold by some of our chiefs because they want to satisfy their parochial interest”.

The Northern Regional Minister who commended the Chiefs in the region for their unflinching support to his administration, requested from them, to control their subjects especially the youth to behave peacefully during and after the Supreme Court verdict on the 2012 election petition.

The President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Nayiri-Naa Abdulai Mahami Sheriga who is also the King of Mamprugu Traditional Area commended the ruling government for the numerous development interventions especially the ongoing construction of the Buipe-Tamale trunk road and Fufulso-Damango-Sawla-Wa road. But appealed for the construction of the Tamale-Salaga-Makango road, Yendi-Bimbilla, Walewale-Bunkpurug and Tamale-Kumbungu roads. 

He also called for the division of the Northern region into two separate regions to fast truck development.
The Overlord of the Mamprugu Kingdom added his voice to the call for peace in Ghana during and after the Supreme Court verdict on 29th August 2013.


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