NHC to issue publication soon

The National House of Chiefs will soon come out with a publication to serve as its official mouthpiece to highlight matters affecting chiefs and the chieftaincy institution. The publication, which would be known as "Chieftaincy Bulletin" would inform the public about all those who are chiefs of good standing and those who are self-styled or self-proclaimed chiefs in the "eye of the law". Mr. Elias Brutton, a Legal Counsellor to the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, made this known when he presented a paper on "The law and practice" at a workshop on the Chieftaincy Act 2008, Act 759, in Wa on Thursday. It was on the theme: "The new chieftaincy act 2008; its implications for chiefs. The Upper West Regional House of Chiefs organised the forum with sponsorship from Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a German non-governmental organisation to help explain the legal aspects of the act to the chiefs. Mr. Brutton said the newsletter would contain expert articles on chieftaincy as well as views and opinions expressed by chiefs. He said the National House of Chiefs would also maintain a register to be known as the "National Register of Chiefs" to record particulars relating to chieftaincy it may think fit or as required by the act or any other enactment to be recorded in it. He said a person aggrieved by the refusal of the National House to register that person as a chief may within thirty days after the decision, appeal against the decision before the Supreme Court. The Legal Counsellor said the act has also extended the election of members for the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs from three years to a four year term to make the election by chiefs conterminous with the general elections of Ghana. On installment, deposition, abdication and death of a chief in a region, as well as other changes in the status of a chief that may be prescribed by regulations under section 71, should as soon as practicable after their occurrence be reported in writing to the National House by the Regional House. Despite any provision of this act, an installation of a chief or queen mother is not valid unless, at least fourteen days before the date of the installation, public notice of it, in accordance with the custom of the area has been given. Mr. Kwadwo Owuodzie Mensah, a legal counsellor to the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs said the act protected chiefs against unlawful distoolment by self seekers, explaining: "It is only kingmakers who have the mandate to distool a chief under the act". He said the practice where the youth could just take the law into their hands and decide to cause the removal of a chief were no more justifiable because such actions had resulted in the loss of lives and property. Presenting a paper on: "The tenets of the law", Mr. Mensah said the act had removed all government interference from chiefs and the chieftaincy institution and urged chiefs to stand firm and resist government influence to help give meaning and credibility to the chiefs and the chieftaincy institution. He called on the various houses of chiefs to improve working condtions to attract young lawyers to take up jobs as legal counsellors. Mr. Isaac Owusu -Mensah, a Senior Programme Manager of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung said the development of a legal framework to regulate the manner and conduct of chiefs in modern times to reflect the dynamic nature of the institution was crucial. He called for the development of a code of ethics for chiefs to bring sanity and dignity to the institution.