A native of the Upper East Region, Emmanuel Atindah, has formally petitioned the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, calling for the establishment of permanent traditional palaces for Paramount Chiefs and Sub-Chiefs across the region.
In a petition dated December 6, 2025, and addressed to the President of the House in Bolgatanga, Mr. Atindah expressed concern over what he described as a growing challenge within the traditional governance system, where many chiefs operate from private family homes instead of officially designated palaces.
According to him, the absence of permanent, state-recognized palaces has led to a situation where traditional authority is exercised from personal residences, a practice he warned could undermine the credibility, neutrality, and effectiveness of chieftaincy institutions in the region.
He noted that over time, the situation has resulted in the use of district and traditional resources to develop private family houses under the guise of constructing palaces. This, he said, poses risks to transparency, accountability, and good governance within the traditional leadership structure.
Mr. Atindah further raised concerns about what he described as an “unhealthy practice” of rotating traditional authority from one family house to another whenever a chief passes on. He argued that such arrangements create instability, fuel succession disputes, and weaken institutional continuity.
“The constant movement creates unnecessary disputes over property, authority, and recognition, while eroding public trust in traditional governance,” portions of the petition indicated.
The petitioner also emphasized the need to involve key traditional stakeholders, particularly the Tindaanas—regarded as custodians of land—in decisions concerning the siting of permanent palaces. He explained that their inclusion would help secure neutral and culturally legitimate lands, while preventing potential land-related conflicts.
Mr. Atindah outlined several negative consequences of the current system, including misuse of public resources, conflicts of interest, land and property disputes, marginalisation of some royal gates, and security risks during public gatherings.
He warned that if the issue is not addressed, it could trigger widespread conflicts in the Upper East Region and other parts of northern Ghana, posing a threat to national peace and stability.
To address the situation, he urged the House of Chiefs to develop and enforce a regional policy mandating the establishment of permanent and neutral traditional palaces. He also called for collaboration with the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, District Assemblies, and other stakeholders to mobilise funding for the initiative.
Additionally, the petitioner proposed the prohibition of private homes as official palaces, the registration of all palaces as public traditional properties, and strict enforcement to ensure chiefs operate only from designated palaces.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the National House of Chiefs, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, and Parliament’s Select Committee on Chieftaincy and Culture.
Mr. Atindah expressed confidence that the intervention, if implemented, would promote fairness, unity, accountability, and continuity in traditional leadership across the region.
A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | Joshua Asaah | Bolgatanga
