Crime & Punishment of Monday, 22 December 2008

Source: GNA

Eastern Region House of Chiefs institutes measures to dispose cases

Koforidua, Dec. 22, GNA - Members of Eastern Regional House of Chiefs have instituted measures to dispose the many chieftaincy cases pending before it. Kpetekple Narh Dawutey Ologo VI, Konor of Yilo Krobo and President of the House announced this at an end of year meeting in Koforidua on Monday. He said the House was negotiating with the leadership of Ghana Bar Association to adopt written submissions, especially on appeal cases for speedy adjudication.

Kpetekple Dawutey Ologo said with regard to petitions, the House proposed special sittings in consultation with counsels representing the factions on agreed dates before they were fixed. "By this arrangement, the question of dates not being convenient for counsels would be minimised," he said. He therefore, appealed to committee members to endeavour to work a little faster to dispose of cases before them. Kpetekple Dawutey Ologo urged young and energetic members of the House to bring their full potentials to bear on activities in the House since most of them were old and inactive.

He advised chiefs to take advantage of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism to resolve some of the chieftaincy disputes to reduce the burden on the Judicial Committees.

Kpetekple Dawutey Ologo advised them to continue to be neutral in politics and refrain from any acts that would portray their party affiliations to sustain the confidence their people had reposed in them. "As chiefs, we always collaborate with Governments to ensure our people receive their fair share of the national cake," he said. He congratulated all elected Parliamentarians during Election 2008 and was optimistic the December 28 run-off would be peaceful.