I Have No Mandate To Meddle In Chieftaincy Matters – Mahama Ayariga

Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, has stated that no minister of state has the authority to interfere or meddle in chieftaincy matters.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, during his vetting, the Bawku Central MP described chieftaincy as a very sensitive area that must be handled strictly according to law.

"One very sensitive area. I think that the first thing everybody has to understand is that no minister of state has the authority under our constitution to interfere or meddle in chieftaincy matters. It's not the business of a minister to meddle in chieftaincy matters," he said.

According to him, the Chieftaincy Act and the 1992 Constitution only impose obligations on ministers acting on behalf of the President to provide support services to the chieftaincy institutions.

"Namely the National House of Chiefs, the Regional House of Chiefs and the traditional councils. That's what the minister is supposed to do but not to meddle in specific chieftaincy matters," he explained.

Hon. Ayariga noted that when a matter is a chieftaincy matter, jurisdiction lies only with the Regional House of Chiefs, the National House of Chiefs and the Supreme Court.

"Yours is just to provide a facilitating role if it is needed by either the National House of Chiefs or the Regional House of Chiefs by way of supporting them with resources so that they can adjudicate the cases expeditiously and dispose of them," he said.

He assured the committee that that will be his approach if approved for the role.

"But as minister you have no mandate to go interfering in chieftaincy matters. And that's exactly how I will approach the work," he stated.