Read letter: Chiefs reply critics; We deserve Mahama’s vehicles

Below is the full statement by the House of Chiefs 

PRESS RELEASE BY THE NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS

The National House of Chiefs’ attention has been drawn to the discussion on the airways about the Pick-up vehicles His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, donated to National and Regional Houses of Chiefs, during his recent meeting with members of the House. The donation was done on behalf of the Government (State) of Ghana. The critics of the donation have unfortunately not understood why the Government (State) should donate the vehicles to National and Regional Houses of Chiefs.

It is very unfortunate that people who are discussing this matter, imputing negative intentions into same, do not know that the Houses of Chiefs are creatures of statute and therefore need to be resourced by the Government (State) like any other Government Institution or Agency or Department. The Houses of Chiefs are Agencies under the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs.

The 1992 Constitution and the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (1959) provide for the creation of the House of Chiefs. Article 270 (1) of the Constitution provides that “The institution Chieftaincy, together with its traditional councils as established by customary law and usage, is hereby guaranteed. Articles 271 and 274 of the Constitution and Sections 1 and 6 of the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759) created the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs, just like other bodies of State.

It is therefore unfortunate when without any basis it is taken for granted that it is only for Political reasons that such assistance is given to the Houses of Chiefs. The same issue does not arise when other institutions of State are resourced by the Government

What people do not know is that the National House of Chiefs is composed of fifty (50) members and the combined membership of the ten Regional Houses of Chiefs is over 250. It is therefore preposterous to conclude that one pick-up is given to over 300 chiefs. The cars are not for the individual chiefs. They are for the Houses of Chiefs as Government (State) institutions.

The National House of Chiefs want to state it categorically that it is the responsibility of the Government (State) to resource the Houses as any other MDA and that is exactly what the President did during his recent meeting with Nananom. It is very unfortunate that people have twisted the position of the law to suit their own limited interest.

WULUGU NABA NAA PROF. JOHN S. NABILA

PRESIDENT