NHC Accused of engaging in double standards

The president of the National House of Chiefs, Nana Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II has been caught in a web of lies caused by his own actions with regards to the gazetting of some chiefs across the country.

The national house of Chiefs president who has been accused as an architect of most chieftaincy disputes in the Greater Accra region for his double standard role in failing to ensure chiefs whose names are tabled for gazetting goes through credibility checks.

Nana Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II who is currently planning on meeting chiefs under the house to deliberate on a Supreme Court ruling which reaffirmed a ban on chiefs from endorsing political parties is quoted to have said the ruling will still not prevent traditional authorities from speaking on political matters.

However, some critics have chastised the National House of Chiefs’ president for the unprecedented number of chiefs who have openly campaigned or endorsed political parties under his watch. According to critics, the failure of Nana Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II to put his house in order cum by weeding out illegible chiefs and traditional leaders who have managed to find their names in the gazetted books of the house through dubious means, should be blamed for the current happenings in the chieftaincy front.

Under his watch, several chiefs have been gazetted into the house despite numerous concrete pieces of evidence challenging their legitimacy. This is because Nana Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi-led administration is on record to have categorically endorsed the gazetting of chiefs who present their CDs before the house irrespective of whether there is a pending legal suit challenging the legitimacy of these chiefs. According to the president of the National House chiefs an embattled chief whose legitimacy is being questioned at the superior court of Justice, should not be a basis for the said chief to be denied gazetting. According to the Nana Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi-led administration, the House will only expunge the name of the gazetted chief if the said chief loses a case challenging his legitimacy at any court of jurisdiction.

However, critics say such approach adopted by the Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi led administration has been the cause of several chieftaincy disputes mainly in the Greater Accra region, with the Prampram Tradtional Area being a major culprit. They argue that with the mandated repose in the national house of chiefs, the onus lies on them to ensure any chief whose CD forms have been tabled for gazette has gone through the necessary and due process and as well passing any credibility test. Chieftaincy expert Samuel Odoi says if the National House of Chiefs cannot determine who a legitimate chief is in their own rights as per the customs and traditions governing the chieftaincy institution, then there’s no basis having a House of Chiefs.