Apowa (W/R) Jan. 28 GNA - The National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the UNDP has began a public forum for selected communities in the Ahanta West District to discuss the causes of disputes and their effects on socio-economic development. The one-week programme was under the theme "Entrenching peace for development", and participants included chiefs, queen mothers, and heads of families and leaders of the various religious organisations.

They would discuss topics including "codification of line of succession, an antidote to chieftaincy disputes" and "Entrenching the culture of peace through social accommodation-implications for national development".

Madam Doris Ocansey, deputy chairperson of the NCCE, on Tuesday opened the first of such fora at Apowa near Takoradi with a call on community leaders to champion the crusade against all forms of disputes, which according to her had polarised the society. She appealed to the participants to cooperate with the government and institutions working to find solutions to the numerous chieftaincy and land disputes in the country.

Madam Ocansey urged chiefs in the country to collaborate with other traditional leaders in the West African sub-region to bring permanent peace to the people.

She said: "In this way our traditional leaders would be working to enhance the operations of ECOWAS for the benefit of all".

Mr Kwaku Baa Owusu, Western Regional Director of NCCE, said disputes tended to deepen one's knowledge and understanding and strengthen the culture of participation and involvement in the affairs of the community, society or nation.

"However, disputes are abhorred and become unsocial when they lead to conflicts sometimes resulting in deaths and destruction of property", he said.

Mr Owusu said conflicts, even at marital level, if not properly managed, could affect the peace of the entire community. He appealed to community leaders to adopt negotiation, dialogue and mediation in solving disputes instead of going to court. Nenyi Akon Agyefi, member of the Afutu Traditional Council, spoke on "codification of line of succession, an antidote to chieftaincy conflicts".

He said the 1992 Constitution recognises chieftaincy and chiefs should work hard to preserve the image of the institution. He noted that the process of nomination, enstoolment, enskinment of chiefs, lineage and destoolment were some of the major causes of chieftaincy disputes in the country.

Nenyi Agyefi said all traditional councils should be encouraged to codify chieftaincy practices to avoid disputes.

Mr Kwame Amo, NCCE Ahanta West district director, urged participants to participate actively in all discussions aimed at resolving the numerous chieftaincy and land disputes in the area.

Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, Omanhene of the Nsein Traditional Area, called for an end to chieftaincy disputes that tend to negatively affect the image of the institution.