Referendum: Otumfuo slams neglect of chiefs in local government reforms

The government has called for a referendum on December 17, 2019 for Ghanaians to decide whether political parties should be allowed to sponsor candidates in the next district assembly elections or it should be organized on non-partisan lines.

Speaking at the Annual Leadership Lecture Series organised by the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Friday, Asantehene said had chiefs been consulted, it would have been impossible for anyone to ignore the logic in allowing chiefs to play a role in the nation's local governance.

In the same vain, he said he could not see how any chief would have said partisan politics was incompatible with local governance.

He said: “Local government in the modern era is only traditional government in Western attire. How is it possible then that the central government representing the modern state and nananom [chiefs] representing the traditional state could find no space for engagement for the consideration of a major reform on local government and to agree a common position before such crucial reforms were rolled out.

“If there had been such engagement, I could not think of how anyone would have ignored the logic in the case for according our chiefs the rightful representation in the new structure. And by the same token, I could not think of how any chief would have seen any incompatibility in the removal of the entrenched clauses in the Constitution to permit the election of the metro and district chief executives or mayors and also allow political parties to sponsor candidates for local elections,” he said.

The debate of the December 17, referendum has caused an uproar among political parties and the National House of Chiefs as the traditional rulers tear each other apart over their position.

Earlier, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) urged voters to vote "NO" during the December 17, 2019, national referendum on whether or not the 1992 Constitution should be amended to open up local government elections to partisan participation.

According to the party, a "YES" vote will further polarize the nation, particularly local communities along the lines of NPP / NDC, and will likely lead to the creation of "NDC Communal Labour day" and "NPP Communal Labour day", as well as "NDC market" and "NPP market".

A statement authored by Togbe Afede XIV and Nana Kweku Ewusi VII, President and Vice-President respectively, opposing the December referendum, has drawn fury, denial and harsh remarks among the top chiefs.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, Paramount Chief of Sefwi Anwhiaso Traditional Area and President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, who doubles as Chairman of the Governance Committee of the National House of Chiefs, described the statement as bogus and arbitrary and added that it smacked of ‘drunkenness and abuse of power’ by Togbe Afede and Nana Kweku Ewusi.

The Okyenhene and other prominent chiefs from the Eastern Region have also distanced themselves from the statement made by the president of the House of Chiefs and his vice.

Togbe Afede who does not appear ready to countenance dissent on the matter has described the reaction of his colleagues as consistent with 'dishonesty.'