Conduct of chiefs contributing to Ghana’s problems – Sulemana Braimah

The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, says the conduct of chiefs is part of the country’s problems.

According to him, many traditional rulers do not exhibit good conduct worthy of emulation.

He told Benjamin Akakpo on the AM Show on Monday that some chiefs even engage in fruitless conflict and other untoward behaviour.

He commented while praising the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, for returning ex-gratia paid to him.

“I wish that we had our chiefs behaving the way Togbe is behaving. Because in our country today, part of the problem is the conduct of our chiefs. In fact, because of little things and meagre things, sometimes you’ll have chiefs fighting each other.

“Or chiefs making really untoward statements. Just because they want to gain favours from one party or the other.

“So it would have been great if we had our traditional leaders all-embracing the conduct and attitude that Togbe has shown,” Mr Braimah said.

At the maiden edition of the Asogli Anti-Corruption Day Celebration in Ho, Togbe Afede reiterated that he returned the ex-gratia he received as a Council of State member because he did not merit such a huge amount.

According to the revered traditional ruler, he did not deserve such an amount for serving a poor country like Ghana.

For Togbe Afede, Ghana is battling harsh economic conditions and therefore he did not deem it fit to receive ¢300,000 as ex-gratia for a part-time job he did.

Addressing the gathering, he mentioned that at the time of rejecting the money, he was actually in need cash to address some issues; except that he felt it was not prudent to take the said amount.

“I returned the ex gratia money not because I did not need money. In fact, at that particular time, I needed money very badly to meet various family obligations.

But I truly believed that the money was not deserved. It was inappropriate for what I will emphasize again was essentially a part-time work”, he stressed.

He further clarified that, he was one of the most active members of the Council of State and never received transport allowance for any of the meetings he attended because he registered himself as a resident of Accra.

“The record I promised my people will be set straight very soon. As to whether I will do it again [return the ex gratia], yes, I will do it again”, he added.

The former President of the National House of Chiefs also entreated persons who would offer themselves to the service of the country to be considerate when making demands from the nation.

It is comments by the traditional ruler, which triggered praises from the MFWA boss, Mr Sulemana Braimah during an interview on the newspaper review on the AM Show on Monday.

Applauding the stance of Togbe, Mr Braimah added that another point worth noting from Togbe Afede’s remarks, is the need for Ghanaians to avoid dubious means of making wealth.

Source: Paa Kwesi Schandorf