Disputes are a part of human existence and so long as people continue to live together in communities, there will always be differences.
It is, however, the unwillingness of parties to resolve their differences amicably when they occur, that Todaythinks should be a matter of concern to all.
Indeed, the Judiciary has always recommended alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as the preferred way to handle thorny issues of all sorts. This is because the resort to the courts sometimes tends to be very expensive as a result of legal fees, the numerous adjournments and the demand on one’s time, among others.
It is the nation’s desire for peace to prevail at all times so communities and individuals can freely go about their normal duties without any fear or inhibitions. That is why we have all kinds of dispute settlement mechanisms, from traditional to constituted law courts to settle disputes when they arise. Unfortunately, that national quest for peace has not always been as expected.
This is especially so when the bone of contention is a landed property or kingship. The country has experienced land and chieftaincy disputes that have gone on for many years without an end in sight.
While the list of land disputes has been endless as a result of the bottlenecks in land administration and land acquisition, chieftaincy disputes have always put the security of the whole nation at risk.
Chietaincy disputes have also cost the nation a great deal in its bid to ensure peace. They have halted development in many traditional areas across the country, sometimes resulting in the loss of lives and properties. They can be destructive and so we should do all we can to forestall traditional disputes escalating to such dangerous levels.
The Dagbon, Bawku and Alavanyo-Nkonya chieftaincy disputes are all examples of disputes that have persisted for years because of the uncompromising posture of the factions involved.
Every community and traditional area in the country deserve to progress its development agenda in peace and tranquility. So when the problems arise, traditional and community elders should either use the available grievances resolution mechanisms to settle for peace and we look forward to the day the Ministry for Chieftaincy Affairs would be able to bring all the lingering and disturbing chieftaincy disputes in the country to an end. It might be a tall order but there surely must be a way out.
It is for this reason that Today, urges all the factions currently involved in chieftaincy disputes across the country to let go of their entrenched positions and make a commitment to resolve the disputes amicably. That is the only time when their communities can make strides in their developmental drives. We should be guided by the fact that where there are disputes, there is always the fear of investment. The one District one factory investment drive of the government should be of concern to Chiefs whose areas have been under perpetual disputes.
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