By Alfred Adams
The Western Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) has held a day’s retreat workshop for the 23 paramount chiefs making up the Regional House of Chiefs last weekend.
The retreat comes exactly a month after a similar one was held for the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the region. The Paramount Chief of the Beyin Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjei III, appealed to the RCC to consider organising a similar one for sub-chiefs in the region.
It was to afford the chiefs an opportunity to review the various developmental projects underway in each of the districts, and as well offer suggestions on future development plans or projects for the region. The retreat was under the theme ‘The Role of Traditional Rulers in Local Government Development’.
Opening the retreat, the Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, underlined the importance of traditional rulers in the development of a country. According to him, a chief’s achievement was measured in terms of development projects impacted on his subjects.
“I, therefore, would like to commend Nananom for the various roles played by you during the past decade in partnering the RCC, the Metropolitan and Districts Assemblies to move the region forward. It is, indeed, your support, collaboration, which has brought the region this far. For that reason, the RCC would continue to hold you in high esteem.”
Continuing, Regional Minister Aidoo pointed out that for us to develop as a people, chiefs needed to play a vanguard role in the transformation efforts, for our survival, growth and development, and used the occasion to call for an attitudinal change, stressing: “All of us need to change our way of life.
“Our chiefs must endeavour to pursue agenda that will unite and bring peace among the people. “As we have gathered here for this retreat, I pray that Nananom will use the occasion to call for unity.” Responding, the acting President of the Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kwesi Agyemang VI, applauded the RCC for holding the retreat.
He added that the retreat goes to underline the fact that chiefs were stakeholders in development. However, Nana Agyemang, who was speaking on behalf of the 23 paramount chiefs, expressed worry over the non-recognition of chiefs in appointments into the various assemblies.