Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, has urged chiefs to see their roles in preserving Ghana’s culture as paramount to propel economic growth.
He said the chiefs in their capacity as custodians of the lands could solve the pervasive land disputes that had become a disincentive to investment and development.
“We see some investors acquire lands legally for projects and only to see other family members, sub-chiefs selling same parcel of land to unsuspected buyers.”
Mr Okraku-Mantey said this at the launch of the Royal Chiefs Association of Ghana (TROCAG) held in Accra.
The Association seeks to revive and promote ‘abandoned cultural and traditional values’ and show to the world that chiefs were not idol worshippers but tool for development.
The Deputy Minister said, though the chiefs had not been the administrative heads of districts and Municipality, they had been clothed with traditional power to stall any illegality in their communities.
He urged the chiefs to take up the fight against galamsey and make it an integral part of their activities.
“Government is ever ready to partner you to tackle this canker. We are losing our forest cover and water bodies which are threatening our very survival,” he said.
The occasion brought together traditional leaders made up of Chiefs, Queen mothers, Warriors among others displaying their regalia and dance moves amidst drumming and singing.
Okatakyie Nana Anim I, Sanaahene of Akyem Tafo, who is also the President of the Association said, their goal was to support the State in turning the fortunes around.
He said discipline was the foundation stone of excellence and success and the Association would promote it among the youth in their communities.
The President said Ghana’s cultural values encapsulated discipline but “the western culture has infiltrated our values and gradually eroded discipline as our fabric of life.”
“We are not going to relent, we shall promote our cultural values targeting the youth of Africa and promote cultural exchange values between Ghana and the diaspora,” he said.
The composition of the Association is made up 86 chiefs who are divisional and sub-chiefs with some gazetted and others not.
