Mills acknowledges chiefs’ contribution to governance
President John Atta Mills has acknowledged the immense support and goodwill from chiefs both collectively as an institution and individually since coming into office.
He said chiefs had been a tower of strength, offering invaluable advice and help and that the government was grateful for their support and co-operation.
“We do appreciate this and believe it will lead to an even healthier convention and positive working relations between the chieftaincy institution and government from the betterment of our people and the national at large”, he said.
President Mills said this on Sunday in a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Alban Bagbin, the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, at the Kob-Bine Festival of the chiefs and people of the Lawra Traditional Area.
He said on assumption of office, the government inherited great difficulties in practically every sector of the economy and as such had to make difficult choices to resuscitate the economy as well as restore social services.
He said the government was doing this with the broad support of chiefs and people of the country.
“There is no doubt that in the prevailing atmosphere of peace and enhanced freedom of expression, lowered inflation, reduced levels of interest rates, stable currency and improved social services, among others, it is being acknowledged both at home and abroad that the nation is gradually moving onto the road to social and economic recovery”, President Mills said.
He however expressed concern about the numerous chieftaincy cases in the law courts.
The President said all had not been well with the chieftaincy institution of late and that the institution that was once revered for its role in the development of the country has had its image seriously dented by its playmakers.
“The fact that the law courts are packed with chieftaincy cases, more than any other subject matter, clearly testifies to the extent to which the institution has been abused”, President Mills said.
President Mills said the government was unhappy with that state of affairs but was pleased that many of such cases were not in the Lawra Traditional Area.
He commended Naa Puowelle Karbo, Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area for taking the bold initiative to fill the vacant skins in his paramountcy and urged other chiefs to emulate him for effective local governance.
President Mills assured chiefs of government’s commitment to partner with the chieftaincy institution and the traditional authorities for national development.
He urged the people of the area to take advantage of their home coming to discuss and initiate programmes which would promote and sustain the development and progress of the area.
President Mills expressed happiness about the good relationship between the Lawra Traditional Area and neighbouring Burkina Faso whose delegation participated in the celebration of the Kob-Bine Festival.
“For me, it is ample demonstration of the bond of unity that exists between us and our neighbours and for that matter Ghana and Burkina Faso”, he said.
Kob-Bine Festival is essentially a farming festival, deriving its name from the two words “Kob” meaning farming and “Bine” meaning dance.
It is celebrated annually to give thanks to Almighty God for the bounty of the past year and to review its difficulties as well as plan for the future.
Source: GNA