By Isaac Nsiah Foster
Chieftaincy is one of Ghana’s oldest traditional institutions.
It has remained resilient despite attempts by both colonial and post-independent governments to control and undermine it.
According to Article 270 of Ghana’s 1992 constitution, the chieftaincy institution is recognized as part of the country’s governance system.
Chiefs settle disputes and govern community lands. They are custodians of customs and tradition, and are advocates for development in their areas.
The chieftaincy institution is still largely supported by many Ghanaians and modern governments.
The importance of chiefs to the government is clearly seen in the work of the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, which the government set up and supported to resolve the long-standing Dagbon chieftaincy conflict.
But chieftaincy conflicts have been persistently influenced by some politicians for their peculiar interest.
In this regard ,Kwabre Kenyasihene Barima Freduah Agyeman II has stated categorically that they won’t allow politicians to meddle in chieftaincy issues.
He was of the view that politicians have penchant of doing politics with developmental projects, citing race course – Zoo road as an example, saying the road can be tiled to facilitate trading at race course.
He further urged the assembly to eject every trader from unauthorized places to race course.
He made the remarks when he was speaking on Fox fm’s evening talk show dubbed Ewiase b3n ni with Agya Wusu aka The Gong.
He then appealed to the Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah and Mayor of Kumasi Samuel Pynne to come to ensure tiling of the Zoo Race Course road to make it motorable for both the drivers and the traders.
Barima Freduah Agyeman II noted ” the filth that has engulfed the cities is what is killing us as a country, citing WAEC -Akwatialine- Subin bridge as one of the dirtiest place in the Kumasi city.
Barima Freduah Agyeman II who was appointed by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as traditional authority representative to the KMA and regional coordinating council RCC , Taskforce with a mandate to ensure that traders who were plying their trade at unauthorized places in the central business district (CBD), are relocated to Race Course market ,bemoned how the traders have returned to the roadsides ,leaving the prepared Race Course market where they should be operating.