Leave Electoral Commission alone – Yagbonwura

The Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Sulemana Jakpa Bore Essa I, has called on all political parties to refrain from setting the agenda for the Electoral Commission (EC).

“I call on all political parties to dialogue with the Electoral Commission to ensure free and fair polls”, Yagbonwura said.

He said the “EC has the constitutional mandate to conduct elections in Ghana” adding therefore no interest groups should try to teach it how to do its job.

“I urge all well meaning citizens of this country to resist any person or group of persons who would want to create chaos and make the country ungovernable”, he said.

Yagbonwura Tuntumba Jakpa, who is also President of the Northern Region House of Chiefs, made the call when he addressed the end of year meeting of the House in Tamale on Wednesday.

The meeting was to among other things empanel a Judicial Committee for Kudani Chieftaincy matters, approve minutes of previous meeting, and receive briefs on annual estimates.

He also called on the media to spare the country of conflicts by avoiding sensational journalism, which turned to divide the nation and instead concentrate on development journalism.

“I think there should be media blackout on indecent language, insults and personality attacks”, he said.

Yagbonwura Tuntumba Jakpa observed that the chieftaincy institution had been going through turbulence attributing it to the failure of the nation to give the needed attention to the noble institution.

He said, “We have also failed as chiefs to follow laid down procedures to do enskinments or enstoolments and if care is not taken we would all wake up one day to a very grueling story that is detestable to the ear”.

He, therefore, advocated for documentation of lines of succession for at least all paramountcies in the country and called on government to support it to ensure a peaceful chieftaincy institution.

He also lamented that many regional houses of chiefs and traditional councils were without the requisite staff strength, especially counsels, making them unable to execute their constitutional mandates efficiently and effectively.

The Overlord of the Gonjaland called on traditional rulers to live up to expectation and effuse good governance at local levels by providing appropriate leadership to propel the requisite development with peace being the fulcrum.

He assured that “as traditional rulers, we would work with government, civil society and development partners to seek peace, improve productivity and above all boost development”.

He, therefore, called on President Mills to redeem the commitments he made to the people of the Northern Region during his recent visit to the region, which amongst others, were to tar the eastern corridor roads and the Fulfulso-Damongo-Sawla roads.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister assured that the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) initiative to address long-term development needs of the northern regions had taken off.

Mr Mabengba called on traditional authorities in the Region to partner with government and release lands for development projects.

He, however, advised the chiefs to exercise restraint when meddling in land issues, especially those that were under disputes.

He also spoke about youth indiscipline in the Region and called on the traditional authorities to organize programmes in their jurisdictions to educate the youth to adopt responsible lifestyles.

Mr Mabengba also called on the youth to take advantage of the numerous opportunities being created by the government to better their lives.

Source: GNA