Krontihene of the New Juaben traditional area, Baffour Nyantakyi Tutu Boateng, has called on the National House of Chiefs (NHC) to correct some major anomalies and illegitimacy in the Legislative Instrument (L.I) 2409 before it becomes a ‘monster’ in the chieftaincy institution in Ghana.

In a petition addressed to the President of the NHC and copied to the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and the New Juaben traditional council, Baffour Nyantakyi Tutu Boateng posited the list of divisional chiefs from the New Juaben Traditional Area as captured in the (Membership of the Regional House of Chiefs) Instrument 2020 (L.I. 2409) is illegitimate and contains non-existing stools unheard of in the Traditional area since 1875.

According to the petition, as per Regulation 7 (i) (h) of L.I. 2409, 4 non-existing and phantom stools namely: Betomohene, Adwesohene, Srodaehene and Nsukwaohene have been deliberately included as divisional chiefs in New Juaben.

Additionally, 4 more chiefs were inserted in Regulation 7 (i) (h) of L.I. 2409 as sub-divisional chiefs but can not be classified as same at the date of gazette of the Legislative instrument. 

Those are Nyamekromhene, Suhyenhene, Adahene and Akwadum.

Baffour Nyantakyi indicated they are sub-divisional chiefs under the Gyase division of New Juaben.

In effect, 8 existing and legitimate Divisional Chiefs have deliberately been eliminated/excluded and replaced with 4 non-existing and phantom stools and 4 sub-divisional Chiefs, says the petition.

The petition further stated that the 8 existing legitimate divisional chiefs and members of the New Juaben Traditional Council eliminated/excluded from the L.I. 2409 include: Gyasehene, Kontihene, Kyidomhene, Manwerehene, Ntotoyehene, Akyempemhene, Ayokohene and Nkosohene.

Baffour Nyantakyi Tutu Boateng hinted that an illegality has been occasioned on Regulation 7 (i) (h) of the L.I. 2409 by including 4 non-existing and phantom divisions: Betomhene, Adwesohene, Srodaehene and Nsukwaohene who are not members of the New Juaben Traditional Council - an obvious contravention of Regulation 1 (1) and (2) of the L.I. 2409 and section 12 (1) (2) and 14 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 Act 759.

L.I. 2409 further suffers more illegality by including four more Sub-divisional Chiefs i.e Nyamekromhene, Suhyenhene, Adahene and Akwadumhene in Regulation 7 (i) (h) of L.I. 2409 as at the date of the gazette, July 1, 2020, and thus elevating them to divisional status without due regard to customary law and usage in the process of making divisional chiefs in the New Juaben Traditional Area.

This according to the petitioner clearly contravenes Regulation 1 (1) of the L.I. 2409 and is inconsistent with Article 270 (2) (a) and (b) of the 1992 constitution.

The petitioner requested the NHC to cause an amendment to be made to Regulation 7 (i) (h) of L.I. 2409 as a matter of urgency to include and reflect the true position on the ground of 12 existing and legitimate divisional chiefs who are the bona fide members of the New Juaben Traditional Council namely: Adontenhene/Oyokohene,  Akyempemhene, Ayokoɔhene, Benkumhene/Asokorehene, Gyasehene, Jumapohene, Kontihene, Kyidomhene, Manwerehene, Nifahene/Effiduasihene, Nkosoɔhene and Ntotoyehene.

The petitioner opined that, the illegality if not rectified, could trigger a serious chieftaincy dispute in the New Juaben Traditional Area and could breed tension and jeopardize the peace in the area.