Regional News of Sunday, 22 December 2013

Source: GNA

Help NHC to rehabilitate old office building

Wulugu Naba Pugansoa, Naa Professor John S. Nabila, President of the National House of Chiefs, has appealed to the government, individuals and corporate institutions and organizations, to support the House to rehabilitate its old office building in Kumasi.

He said the office has not seen any rehabilitation since it was constructed in the early 1970s, and the state of the building is such that if action is not taken, it can collapse at any time.

“There are several structural defects in the walls, and the roof is leaking seriously, and paintings on the walls have stripped off”, he stressed.

Naa Prof Nabila was speaking at the end-of- year general meeting of the House in Kumasi.

The meeting was to take stock and examine performances during the year, reflect on them and plan the way forward.

The President said the House’s new office complex at Asennua in the Kwabre East District, whose construction started some years back, remained uncompleted, and it has been in its present stage since 2011.

He announced that, during the year, the House was able to convert 15 Reports of Research into Draft of Declaration of Customary Law, adding that they have been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General for further action.

Naa Prof. Nabila commended government, particularly President John Manama for the improvement of the financial and other logistics situation of the House.

He also praised members for their relentless efforts, support and co-operation in all the activities which enabled the House to achieve most of its goals during the period.

Dr HS Daannaa, Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, announced that government would give two pick-ups to the House, and one each to the various Regional Houses of Chiefs for administrative work.

He expressed concern about Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and individuals who research into chieftaincy matters without the knowledge of the Ministry or the House.

He emphasized that this could aggravate chieftaincy disputes in the country, and therefore must be checked.

Dr. Daannaa said government would continue to work with the House to promote the chieftaincy institution.