Ghana: Codify Royal Lineage to Forestall Succession Disputes - President Akufo-Addo Urges Chiefs

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said chieftaincy institutions must codify their royal lineages to prevent future chieftaincy succession disputes which are hampering development in some parts of the country.

President Akufo-Addo said the cost of maintaining peace in protracted chieftaincy disputes areas across the country was huge, which could have been directed at development projects in those affected traditional areas.

He said whatever could be done to mitigate the occurrences of chieftaincy conflicts should be deployed and encouraged.

President Akufo-Addo made the appeal when he addressed the president of the Ahafo regional house of chiefs, Nana Ansah Adu Baah II, and his delegation who had called on him at the Jubilee House on Wednesday.

The Kwahu Traditional Authority recently launched an initiative called "Kwahu State Book" that sets out the genealogy of all the royal families and all the stools in the Kwahu state.

That, according to the President, was to forestall any controversy that may arise over the kingship of any place in the Kwahu area, "the details of the book will settle all matters arising to prevent unnecessary claims."

"I think this codification of royal lineage by the Kwahu State is an initiative that all regions in Ghana must emulate so that in the likely event of chieftaincy vacancies as a result of death, in particular, succession issues can be dealt with amicably," the President added.

Addressing the President on the state of roads in the traditional area, Nana Ansah Adu Baah II appealed to the President to urgently take steps to fix the road network in the region.

President Akufo-Addo assured that the government was committed to fixing the roads in that region including the other 15 regions in the country.

Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, who spoke on behalf of the Minister for Roads and Highways, said currently, there were about 38 ongoing road projects and a number of them are being constructed in the Ahafo Region.

The 38 ongoing projects, which amounted to 482km of roads, were at various stages of completion, and the remaining 20 road projects which had stalled would be reactivated soon.

Mr Bediatuo Asante said the Minister for Roads and Highways was currently out of the jurisdiction but had assured him that upon his return, he would ensure that the delayed projects were reactivated.

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