The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, says chiefs must be allowed to participate in active party politics in the country.
He has therefore, proposed a relook into constitutional provisions that barred chiefs from participating in active politics, adding that “Ghana needs to re-orient its democratic architecture and ensure that the wisdom and expertise of chiefs can be tapped to enhance representative governance in the country.”
Mr Bagbin also stressed the urgent need to tackle the seemly exclusion of the citizenry from harnessing dividends of Ghana’s democratic experience.
He made the proposal at a public forum in Takoradi yesterday as part of activities to mark 30 years of parliamentary democracy.
The forum was on the theme “30 years of parliamentary democracy under the 4th Republic: The journey thus far.”
He added that “We need to listen, think together, and we’ll be taking stock on what we did wrong with our leaders, that chiefs should not be in active politics and that’s not helping us. They used to govern; today we have imposed other chiefs on our chiefs, so we have District Chief Executives.”
Historically, Mr Bagbin noted that the African, by tradition, embraced a democratic culture which promoted competition and that the concept of Parliament was instituted in kingdoms, empires, long before the coming of the whites (Europeans).
He said the kingdom systems ensured movement of people in different directions and bonding together with their own traditions and a sense of leadership based on the three pillars of government, which the Fante Confederacy copied.
“We Africans started with so many of the things and they came and stole from us, polished, rebranded and brought them back to us as if there were new things that we are to learn from,” the speaker of Parliament said.
Mr Bagbin said God had blessed Ghana so much that there was no need for people to be afraid but, be patient while the mistakes were corrected.
He said the current ‘explosion’ of social and political upheavals blowing across the sub-Saharan corridors were an indication that the citizenry had lost touch with governance.
Mr Bagbin said after 30 years of democratic experiment, there was the urgent need for Parliament to get closer to the people, explain the challenges to them and as to how to correct the hurdles.
Nana Kobina Nketsia, paramount chief of Essikado Traditional Area, said he believes it was time Parliament showed serious interest in public affairs and debates within the public space and help find ways to deal with issues of economic justice the country faced, today.
On the Speaker’s entourage were Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah; Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah; MP, Wassa East, Isaac Adjei Mensah; Deputy Clerk of Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djetoro; Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo and Director Media Relations, David Damoah.
Source: Ghanaiantimes.com.gh
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Mr speaker as for this one we vehemently disagree with you. If there is any group of people in Ghana today who still commands some respect, it's our Chiefs. Most at times it is the Chiefs the citizens look up to in times of turmoil. If we open the flood gates for chiefs to do active politics in Ghana , bet me Ghana is finished. There will be no institution in Ghana again for the people to respect. What you should and must know is that respect and trust for politicians in Ghana today is near zero. They claim to represent the masses but end up representing themselves . Chiefs are closer to calming tempers than politicians in Ghana today. The framers of the constitution saw this very early thus the resson Chiefs in Ghana are barred from taking part in active politics. Let's maintain the status quo, it is in the interest of both the Chiefs and their subjects. If they have any contributions to make it should be at the level of the national house of Chiefs. Some powerful Chiefs in Ghana such as the Asantehene, Togbe Afede, the Nayiri , the Ya-naa, the Yagbon Wura, the Ga mantse among several others are able to look into the eyes of politicians and tell them their feelings.If they were politicians that will virtually impossible. We know some appointees in government are not happy with certain happenings in their own government , but who are they to speak truth to power. If chiefs in Ghana also want their respect to come to zero levels, they should support this idea.Small boys some of whom are fed by their party's will sit on TV and insult them well well.
I respect chiefs more than the president and his corrupt ministers and appointees and that respect is gone once they dabble in politics! What needs to change is to strip the president of some of the powers. We must recognize the constitution was drafted to protect Jerry Rawlings and cajole him to return the country to civilian rule and to guarantee his immunity long after he had left office. But as nana addo has demonstrated , entrusting so much power into the hands of a pampered ediot can destroy the country. During my Masters I was taught government bonds are the safest but akuffo proved that wrong! Every economic principle/theory learnt in school has become meaningless under this government. It turns out the corrupt rather get protection and commendation from the president. Foreign nations are given military protection to destroy our lands and water bodies under akuffo addo! And above all he can do all these tsupid things and not be held accountable! How?
A clownish statement from a clown of a speaker. What disgrace and shame do you want to invite for chiefs?
We are just going to have a civil war in Ghana if chiefs are allowed to do active politics in Ghana. Just take a mental picture of how if a traditional paramount chief is being insulted everywhere and everyday on live tv and radio. Mr speaker , as the Americans saying “if it ain’t broken why do you fix it “ Even this worst parliament since the inception of the 4th Republic will not support it.
Don't only talk like a street person. You know what to do to make that happen. Don't talk like an uneducated person!