Chiefs hit back on gov't vehicles donation

The National House of Chiefs’ has issued a press release in response to negative comments in the media about government’s donation of pick-up vehicles to chiefs.
They criticized media reports that alleged that the donation was done out of a political motive.
They added that the vehicles recently donated by President John Mahama to the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs were within the law which allows government to resource the House of Chiefs in the same way that any other government institution or agency is resourced.
The press release, signed by Wulugu Naba Naa Prof John S. Nabila, president of the National House of Chiefs, stated:
“The donation was done (by the President) on behalf of the Government (State) of Ghana. The critics of the donation have unfortunately not understood why the Government (State) should donate the vehicles to National and Regional Houses of Chiefs.
“It is very unfortunate that people who are discussing this matter, imputing negative intentions into same, do not know that the Houses of Chiefs are creatures of statute and therefore need to be resourced by the Government (State) like any other Government Institution or Agency or Department. The Houses of Chiefs are Agencies under the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs.
“The 1992 Constitution and the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (1959) provide for the creation of the House of Chiefs. Article 270 (1) of the Constitution provides that “The institution Chieftaincy, together with its traditional councils as established by customary law and usage, is hereby guaranteed. Articles 271 and 274 of the Constitution guaranteed. Articles 271 and 274 of the Constitution and Sections 1 and 6 of the Chieftaincy Act 2008 (Act 759) created the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs, just like other bodies of State.
“It is therefore unfortunate when without any basis it is taken for granted that it is only for Political reasons that such assistance is given to the Houses of Chiefs. The same issue does not arise when other institutions of State are resourced by the Government
“What people do not know is that the National House of Chiefs is composed of fifty (50) members and the combined membership of the ten Regional Houses of Chiefs is over 250. It is therefore preposterous to conclude that one pick-up is given to over 300 chiefs. The cars are not for the individual chiefs. They are for the Houses of Chiefs as Government (State) institutions.
“The National House of Chiefs want to state it categorically that it is the responsibility of the Government (State) to resource the Houses as any other MDA and that is exactly what the President did during his recent meeting with Nananom. It is very unfortunate that people have twisted the position of the law to suit their own limited interest.”