Akufo-Addo Cries Over State Funds Wasted On Chieftaincy Disputes

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expressing concerns about how the National Security is spending huge sums of state resources on chieftaincy disputes across the country which he sees as a major national security threat.

According to President Akufo-Addo “There are lots of chieftaincy disputes in the country. Resources spent by the state and MMDCEs to resolve the chieftaincy disputes are worrying. I urge chiefs and families to buy the book and read well to be informed. Where you have a critical different view use appropriate means for redress.”

Speaking at the launch of the Kwahu State Book held at Mpraeso in the Eastern Region on Saturday, April 19, 2022, President Akufo-Addo noted that the state spends so much on resolving those disputes and therefore expressed the hope that the documentation of traditional state books will help resolve such issues.

President Nana Akufo-Addo is hopeful the Kwahu State Book would resolve chieftaincy disputes in the Kwahu enclave, adding that “I commend you for the initiative, I share in the view of the President of the National House of Chiefs, I do believe the book will help reduce chieftaincy disputes. Half of the monies spent at the National Security goes into managing chieftaincy disputes. I can recall Yendi, Dogomba among several others.”

He, therefore, lauded the Kwahu Traditional Council and the paramount chief of Kwahu, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II for the initiative, adding that the documentation of traditional council state books will help resolve chieftaincy disputes.

The 3000-page book depicts the history, culture, and customs of all the sub towns in the Kwahu land and also records the achievements of people who contributed to the development of Kwahu.

According to the Ghana State Book, similar books have been written for the Ofinso, Techiman, and the Senya traditional councils.

The National Coordinator of the Ghana State Book Board, Bright Botwe, says findings indicate that 65 percent of the National Security concerns emanate from chieftaincy disputes around succession.

The concerns informed the initiative of documenting the history of traditional state books.

Its first work came out in 2012 at the Offinso Traditional Council followed by Techiman and Senya later on. The Kwahu state is the fourth to be worked on.

The President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi, advised chiefs to stop wasting resources, which could be channeled into development, at the court and judicial committee in settling disputes.

Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II on his part also called on traditional rulers to resort to laid down procedures in resolving disputes and urged them to take advantage of the state book project to document their history.