NHC to appoint committee to study outcome of customary law project

Members of the National House of Chiefs (NHC) have agreed to appoint a committee to study the outcome of a research under the Ascertainment and Codification of Customary Law Project and take a position.

This has become necessary in view of the challenge placed on the House to decide whether customary laws should be codified or declarations made on them.

The Ascertainment and Codification of Customary Law Project sponsored by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), aimed at identifying the various customary laws, especially in the areas of land ownership and family life among the various ethnic and tribal groups in the country, document and try to provide some kind of legal framework for them.

Mrs Sheila Minka-Premoh, Executive Secretary of the Project, told members of the House at a national Validation and Lessons Learning workshop in Kumasi on Thursday that, the challenge now was what to do with the final outcome of the project.

She explained that while Article 272 of the 1992 constitution and the Chieftaincy Act, Act 759 mandated the House to take steps to codify customary laws in specific areas, some experts have argued that previous attempts have failed and there is therefore the need for the house to make some form a declaration on customary laws.

Mrs Minka-Premoh said these two arguments placed an onerous responsibility on the House to study the report carefully and take appropriate decision.

The President of the House, Pungasoa Naa Wurugu-Naaba Professor John Nabila, said customary laws and practices are very important in the country’s traditional system and there is the need for passionate discussions and appropriate consensus made on them.

Source: GNA