Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, has put forward the idea of establishing a dedicated fund to support chiefs in carrying out special development projects in their respective areas.
Highlighting the importance of such a fund, Mr Tuah-Yeboah stated that, similar to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), it would enable chiefs from the paramountcy jurisdiction down to the community level to initiate and implement specific socio-economic development projects that are crucial for enhancing the well-being of the people.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah made this proposal during his opening remarks as the Chair of the third annual conference and workshop for queen mothers, which is currently taking place in Abesim-Sunyani.
The conference, organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in partnership with the National Queen Mothers' Platform and the Bono Regional Queen Mothers' Association, aims to explore the complex relationships between traditional leaders and the modern legal and political systems in Africa.
The theme of the two-day event is “Traditional Leaders in Contemporary African Governance: The Clash of Laws, Authorities and Responsibilities.”
The gathering provides a platform for discussions and debates on various important issues and seeks to find ways to integrate traditional leaders into modern governance systems while preserving their cultural identities and authority.
Participating in the conference are paramount queen mothers from the Bono and Bono East Regions, along with two accredited representatives from the remaining regions across the country.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah emphasized that if the creation of the proposed fund becomes part of the national development policy and is implemented, it would expedite holistic national development. He explained that with every locality having a form of a traditional leader, the fund would ensure that each town or village across the country benefits from a specific development project consistently.
Furthermore, Mr Tuah-Yeboah argued that the exclusion of queen mothers as members of the judicial committees of local, regional, and national houses of chiefs “cannot stand against any constitutional test.” He stressed that it is time for due consideration to be given to this matter in the interest of the public.
Dr Arne Wulff, the Resident Representative of KAS-Ghana, highlighted that the chieftaincy institution exists to promote the general well-being of society, emphasizing that traditional leaders are meant to serve and enhance the daily lives of the people.
In her welcoming address, Nana Yaa Ansua, the Paramount Queen Mother of Drobo Traditional Area and President of the Bono Regional Paramount Queen Mothers Association, expressed that learning has no limits and that the conference/workshop serves as a learning process for traditional leaders to further enhance their knowledge.
Recalling the themes of the previous two conferences/workshops held in 2021 and 2022 in Sunyani and Akosombo respectively, Nana Ansua, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Queen Mothers' Platform – Ghana, explained that the choice of this year's theme and related issues for discussion was influenced by the focus on mediation and arbitration in the past conferences.
Nana Amponsah Dokua III, the Paramount Queen Mother of Osudoku Traditional Area and President of the Queen Mothers' Platform-Ghana urged queen mothers to promote unity in order to achieve continuous peace in their respective jurisdictions and localities. She emphasized that unity and peace are crucial elements for rapid progress in any society.
Established in 1955, KAS is a global political foundation that operates in over 120 countries. It promotes democracy, the rule of law, the social market economy, and human rights. The foundation works closely with political, social, and economic leaders in various countries to foster sustainable development, good governance,
