THE BREWING TENSION IN ANLO CHIEFTAINCY CIRCLE

The Chieftaincy institution is one of the oldest institutions which has survived the test of time, despite slight changes in its form and scope, the core mandate of chiefs remains absolute; to forster unity, promote peace, initiate developmental projects and sustain cultural and traditional values. 

But the case is seemingly different in Anlo. It is beginning to emerge that, things are really falling apart in Anlo chieftaincy circle. This stems from the recent development in Anlo where all of a sudden public announcement and subsequent enstoolment of a new chief of Whuti, who is yet to be officially gazetted and his name be put on the National Register of Chiefs, on his own or stool owners, knowingly or unknowingly arrogated a title and jurisdiction to their stool with little or without any wider consultation with Awomefia, Torgbi Sri III and other divisional area chiefs.

This sudden development got many citizens of Anlo alarmed, and many started asking questions as to how Kome and Shime have become part of Whuti paramountcy. People being critical and cognitively alert, are just right in asking the above questions.

A quick check from historical records, both oral and written, on Anlo chieftaincy reveals no such a title was conferred on any of his predecessors, a catalyst raising questions and doubts in the minds of discerning natives of Anlo especially indigenes of Kome and Shime.

The Chieftaincy Institution like many other institutions also has laws and acts regulating its operations. It is not an independent or lawless institution on its own whereby anybody or group of persons can just jump into it and start doing things to undermine the supreme constitution of Ghana which clearly defined the role of the Chieftaincy Institution in article 270. 

The Chieftaincy Institution has further been strengthened by an act of parliament which gave more power and autonomy to control and direct the affairs of chieftaincy in the country.

A reason why under the chieftaincy act 2008, act 759, the functional roles of various chiefs were spelt out clearly. It was stated clearly that: "this Act makes provision for local government in Ghana and the promotion, conservation and development of customary law...There shall be a National House of Chiefs, which shall be instrumental in the development and conservation of law relative to chieftaincy and customary law. There shall also be Regional Houses of Chiefs which shall have functions of dispute resolution and compilation of customary law. Each traditional area shall have a Traditional Council and may have more than one Divisional Council. A Chief may act as arbitrator in disputes regarding customary law where parties consent to arbitration. The Act also provides rules relative to the (protection of) stool property including stool lands. There shall be established by the Administrator of Stool Lands, a Stool Lands Account for each region".

The act 2008 again stated clearly that: "(1) there shall be a Traditional council in each traditional area.

(2) The name and members of each traditional area shall be stated in the National Register of Chiefs maintained under section 59 of this act."

The act further expounded on the role of the President of the traditional council as: "The paramount chief of an area or in the case of  Kumasi traditional area, the Asantehene, shall be the President of the traditional area". As a continuation, the act again clearly stated the membership composition of a traditional council: "(1) Subject to this section, a Traditional council shall consist, in addition to the President, of the person shown in the National Register of Chiefs as the members of the Traditional Council;

(2) As soon as practicable after a change occurs in the membership of a Traditional Council, the Council shall notify the Regional House which shall in turn notify the National House and, subject to subsection 3, the National House shall cause the Register to be altered accordingly".

It is indeed baffling and confusing how the new chief of Whuti suddenly became the paramount chief for Kome and Shime, especially when Whuti is not recognized as a Traditional Council per the available records at the Anlo Traditional Council and Regional House of Chiefs. As earlier stated, many well meaning Anlo citizens are not happy with the development in the Chieftaincy circle in Anlo, it is appearing that there are weak or no proper consultative and coordinative mechanism at play in the circle. These, many firmly believe, are the reasons for the many Chieftaincy tension and poorly hierarchical structures and chiefdoms in Anlo.

We hold the view that things cannot continue to be like this in Anlo. Those who are clothed with the necessary authority must start working towards straightening some of the things that appears crooked and hazy to prevent unnecessary struggle over Chieftaincy titles and jurisdictions among Chiefs in Anlo, which may result in needless conflicts.

Anlo is noted for her peaceful coexistence nature, an accolade we cannot allow simple administrative glitches to jeopardize.