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| 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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