President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appealed to the chiefs and people of the various traditional councils within the Greater Accra Region to help make this season’s Homowo festival free from violent incidents.
The President, in a meeting with the Osu Traditional Council on Friday afternoon, said residents of the region would be looking forward to a successful Homowo festival and appealed to the traditional authorities to do whatever possible to ensure that the festival was free from violence
Issues discussed at the meeting which took place at the Jubilee House bordered on chieftaincy disputes in the region, land administration, local governance, security, among others.
The President of the Council, Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, who is also the President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, briefed President Akufo-Addo on the activities of the House in relation to the resolution of conflicts in the region.
He said steps had been taken to settle the chieftaincy disputes in Prampram, Ningo, and added that very soon, the House would add Teshie to the list of traditional areas where chieftaincy disputes had been resolved.
He appealed for the enactment of a legislation which would give more powers to the various traditional councils within the region to ensure that no party undertook traditional programmes without the approval of the councils.
That, according to him, would bring coordination within the traditional structures at the local levels and minimise chieftaincy related disputes in the various traditional areas.
Nii Dowuona VI appealed to the government to pay the land compensation for the Marine Drive Project owed the traditional leaders and help them acquire their land illegally taken by the Achimota School.
President Akufo-Addo commended the House for its efforts to resolve all traditional disputes in the region and added that the government would support all process aimed at ensuring peace in the region.
On the creation of the Korle Klottey Municipality, he said the initial foundation for the municipality was being created for its effective administration.
He promised to expedite payment for the compensation for the Marine Drive Project and expressed the commitment to look into the land allegedly taken by the Achimota School through illegal means.
“The treatment of traditional lands in urban areas is a tricky and complex matter but we will work out a way forward,” he said and assured the traditional leaders that the government would ensure that they were not cheated.
BY YAW KYEI
