The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area in the Upper East Region, Bonaba Baba Salifu Lemyaarum says it will be suicidal on the part of traditional leaders if the idea of making chiefs have a say in the political arena is allowed to be.
According to him, chiefs will lose their values when they are given the mandate to involve themselves in partisan politics.
He made this known in an exclusive interview with A1 Radio at his palace in Bongo when he took his turn as the personality of the week on the Daybreak Upper East show on Friday, February 19, 2021.
“Imagine the way people insult these politicians, all in the name of politics and criticisms. For now, people cannot insult any chief openly; even if they do, they cannot do that outside because of the respect for the chieftaincy institution. The moment chiefs are allowed to partake in political activities and discussions, our people will have the courage to insult us. they will do that openly and you cannot take them anywhere.”
According to the Paramount Chief of Bongo what he and many other chiefs wish to see in Ghana is a second chamber in Parliament, where chiefs can also make inputs in the making of laws for the country and deliberation over some government expenditures.
“In those days, people would say chiefs don’t have the capacity to play this role in national development. Today, things have changed. We have highly educated chiefs who have the knowledge and experience to play the role that will be required of the second chamber we are asking for.”
He blamed successive governments for not working hard to spread development fairly across the country and prays that Ghanaians will be able to point out their challenges and the needs of their communities without being partisan and insulting.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Ghana
