The Krontihene of New Juabeng Traditional Area, Baffour Nyantakyi Tutu Boateng, has petitioned the National House Chiefs to, among other things, amend some anomalies identified in its Legislative Instrument 2409(LI2409).
According to the chief, there are “certain incontrovertible anomalies inherent in Regulation 7(1) (h) of the LI2409, which borders on the list of the divisional chiefs from the New Juaben Traditional Area, as pertained to all other traditional areas listed in the LI2409.”
To this end, the Krontihene has asked the president of the National House of Chiefs and the House to cause an inquiry into the issue that led to the anomaly and subsequently amend the LI.
Condition precedents
The LI2409 was made on August 30, 2020 and gazetted on July 1, 2020.
Baffour Nyantakyi Tutu Boateng contends, in what he terms ‘condition precedents’, that for the name of a chief below the rank of a paramount chief to be entered into the LI2409, the chief must be a divisional chief as at the date of gazette of the LI in July 1 2020.
He adds that divisional chief must be a member of a traditional council at the date of the gazette of the LI and the stool of the divisional chief must be in existence as at the date of the gazette of the LI.
According to him, unfortunately in the case of New Juaben Traditional Area, the list of chiefs presented to the National House of Chiefs and its president to be entered into the LI2409 does not follow the laid down condition precedents, saying this “constitutes a serious breach of law and customary law and usage pertaining to the New Juaben Traditional Area”.
Anomalies
According to him, even though the existing number of divisional chiefs within the New Juaben Traditional Area is 12, the list as it appears in the LI2409 is not a true reflection of what is on the ground as at the date of the gazette.
“The list of divisional chiefs as it stands currently is illegitimate because it contains non-existing stools unheard of in the traditional area since 1875 when our ancestors arrived at the current location from Asante Juaben and finally established the New Juaben in 1878.
“These non-existing and unheard of stools are Betomhene, Srodaehene, Nsukwaohene and Adwesohene. This can be verified at the records/registry of the National House of Chiefs,” he said.
He noted that the organic and original divisions, their divisional heads and status, within the New Juaben Traditional Area, who are all members of the New Juaben Traditional Council include Adontenhene/Oyokohene, Akyempemhene, Ayokohene, Benkumhene, /Asokorehene, Gyaasehene, Jumapohene, Krontihene and Kyidomhene.
He has therefore asked the House to cause amendment to be made to Regulation 7(1) (h) of the LI2409, as a matter of urgency, to include and reflect the true position on the ground of the 12 chiefs whose names have been conspicuously missing from the LI.
Source: dailystatesman.com.gh/Kwasi Frimpong