Chairman Wontumi Calls For Review Of Law That Says Chiefs Should Be Politically Neutral
Ashanti Regoinal Chiarman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako A.K.A. Chairman Wontumi has questioned the relevance of the clause in Ghana’s constitution which has imposed a tight restriction on the country’s traditional leaders in doing inclusive politics.
Article 76 of the 1992 Constitution states that “A chief shall not take part in active party politics; and any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament shall abdicate his stool or skin.”
But speaking on Wontumi TV/Radio in Kumasi on Thursday, Chairman Wontumi observed that the framers of the constitution may have had a hidden agenda in casting the clause to debar chiefs from engaging in politics.
“They may have deliberately inserted the clause to limit the dominance and influence of traditional rulers given their pedigree. The influence and reverence of our chiefs as true leaders of the people is beyond measure.” He stressed.
Chairman Wontumi also postulated that the clause in the 1992 constitution may have been considered necessary as a result of Ghana’s transition from a long period of military rule to a western style democratic system of governance.”
But in his opinion, “the clause has to be rehashed to make it responsive and relevant to contemporary political situation in the country with chiefs being allowed to take their position in an inclusive political setting as active players.”
He added that, “in the much expected era of Nana Addo’s second coming I’m suggesting to him to take a critical look at the law and abrogate it because it exposes our hypocrisy as a nation.”
Chairman Wontumi further alluded that chiefs and politicians have for a long time been bed fellows.
“Politicians and Chiefs are partners because they all play a key role in nation building as agents of physical development and promotion of peace and unity of the people and in particular are concerned about the general welfare and progress of the people.”
He said it is very common to hear a politician who has won the hearts of communities being given a chieftaincy title or in certain situations made a chief.
“This makes it convincing that one cannot separate traditional functions from politics. Some politicians are even even enstooled or enskinned in appreciation of their role in bringing development to the doorsteps of communities where their impact can be measured.” He noted