Tarkwa (W/R) May 20, GNA - Two divisional councils under the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council were inaugurated at separate ceremonies at Tarkwa and Nsuta.

They are Apinto and Asinaman Kotoko Esuosoman Divisional Councils. While Nana Kwabena Angu II is the president of a 12-member council of Apinto Division, Nana Kwadwo Anomako III heads the 17-member council of Asinaman Kotoko Esuosoman Division.

The creation of the councils was in accordance with Act 370 Article 19 section one of the 1971 Chieftaincy Act. In an address, Mr Edward Owusu Marfo, Director, Chieftaincy Secretariat, said the creation of the divisional councils was purely administrative, saying, the division was to handle at its level some day to day issues affecting the council without reference to the traditional council in order to relieve the council of its administrative duties and thereby enabling it to concentrate on more important policy issues affecting the whole traditional area.

He said, Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil VI, paramount chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area and president of the Traditional Council would exercise overall supervisory, judicial, traditional and administrative role over the divisional councils.

Mr Marfo urged the elders to take up the challenges regarding the duties and responsibilities enshrined in the Act, which establishes divisional councils, adding, the secretariat would expect to see an improvement in the handling of affairs within both divisional councils. He told them to strive to bring about peace and improve the living conditions of the lives of the people and also forge effective cooperation among the people.

Mr Marfo appealed to Nananom, Queenmothers, elders and all those, who have stake in the forward match of the chieftaincy institution to take all the necessary steps to ensure that chieftaincy matters in their areas were settled peacefully without any violence and interruptions to social and economic activities in the Traditional Area. Dr. Henry Seidu Daannaa, Principal Research Officer of chieftaincy secretariat mentioned some of the advantages of establishing traditional councils as facilitating dispute settlements, administrative convenience, record keeping and data processing for easy reference and strengthening chieftaincy at the grass root. Osagyefo Enimil VI, said, unity should exist in all their endeavours within the divisional councils.

He said, gone were the days when chiefs were selected on the merit of being capable of conquering enemies, saying, the war for chiefs to fight today was poverty. Osagyefo Enimil told chiefs not to sit down for government to develop their communities but should rather initiate development programmes to develop their communities. Nana Angu said the sustenance of the council would depend on the support of the chiefs in various communities and therefore appealed to the sub chiefs to rally behind him for success. Nana Anomako on his part challenged the chiefs to stem the rise of teenage pregnancy in their communities and ensure that, the youth acquire formal education, because education was the bedrock of every society's development. 20 May 06