The final decision of honourable members of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly on a compromise to settle on Nana Adu Mensah Asare, the Amakomhene as the Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly is an indicator of how traditional authorities could be moderators of the fracas contained in our traditional district assemblies which stalls the intentions of the framers of the constitution that district assemblies should not be partisan and non-political.
Laws that do not appease public for public good but serves as a brook to anything anarchical and indecorous to peace, serenity and political stability leads to political polarization. Entrenched and polarised position of the people of Ghana brought about by some Constitutional Provisions under the 1992 Constitution continue to serve as an enervate to Ghana’s democratic progression which we seriously need to revisit to rekindle our stoke of one people, one nation and one destiny.
Participatory democracy, a cornerstone of democratic evolution shall thrive well and shall bring all hands on deck through arrogating of political offices to all sections of the Ghanaian societies against parading on the sharp-edges of oligarchy fused with political clientelesim.
In the case of the Kumasi Metropolis impasse, the intervention of the Kumasi Traditional Council worked the odds and not the bravado of the political parties. That is why in our humble opinion; we seek consolidating our culture and tradition in the main stream of political institutions by revisiting Article 242 (1992), local government Act 642 (1993) and the Chieftaincy Act 759 (2000)
Article 241(3) provides that “(3) Subjects to this Constitution, a District Assembly shall be the highest political authority in the district, and shall have deliberative, legislative and executive powers.”
Though recognised by the constitution and considered for consultation on appointment of a fraction of membership into the District Assembly, Traditional Authorities before the Guggisberg 1925 Constitution have continued to be very influential in conducting communal affairs affecting their localities which has consequently affected the mindset and social reality of the Ghanaian positively and enticed the Ghanaian to cooperate in the administration and support of the chieftaincy institution.
Furthermore, to effectuate Chapter Six of the 1992 into a proper working document for livelihood, all of us must reconsider our political history from birth, culture and tradition and how we weld it with western culture called democracy for sustainable democratic progression.
In the light of this, we propose that, paramount chiefs under our local government laws shall become the Ceremonial Heads of our District Assemblies and members of the Assembly shall elect from among them one person to become the District Chief Executive Officer, traditional councils shall elect 20% from the Traditional Councils to serve as members of the District assemblies and the 10 percent shall be members of central government representatives at the district.
Under Article 39.1 – 3 the 1992 Constitution states categorically that “(1) Subject to clause (2) of this article, the State shall take steps to encourage the integration of appropriate customary values into the fabric of national life through formal and informal education and the conscious introduction of cultural dimensions to relevant aspects of national planning. (2) The State shall ensure that appropriate customary and cultural values are adapted and developed as an integral part of the growing needs of the society as a whole; and in particular that traditional practices which are injurious to the health and well-being of the person are abolished. (3) The State shall foster the development of Ghanaian languages and pride in Ghanaian culture.”
These directives are meant for to “guide all citizens, Parliament, the President, the Judiciary, the Council of State, the Cabinet, political parties and other bodies and persons in applying or interpreting this Constitution or any other law and in taking and implementing any policy decisions, for the establishment of a just and free society.”Article 34.1
By Munir Saani
