Nii Odote Otintor II, Paramount Chief Of Sempe and Mankralo of the Ga State, has expressed serious concerns about the disregard for traditional authority in the Greater Accra Region.
This is as result of how politicians, expecially those of Ga descent, have sidelined traditional rulers in major projects in some parts of the state.
“Our brothers and sisters who are in government from both NPP and NDC don’t give respect to the Ga chiefs. So it seems as though when we speak, it has no impact. Because the government does a lot of things and they do it without even informing us”.
“A lot of things are going on and we the chiefs are not being consulted in all of these things and the chiefs are afraid to say anything and when it happens like that the state struggles. And who are the cause of these problems, our Ga politicians are the ones causing us harm”.
The member of the Ga Traditional Council believes that the biggest problem facing the Ga state is “our Ga brothers and sisters who are politicians” and they “are the ones collapsing the Ga state, both NDC and NPP”.
Speaking on Blema TV last week, Nii Otintor expressed dismay for how politicians have rendered traditional rulers powerless “You will find some Ga chiefs around but hardly will you see their works, and it is not their fault”
He cited examples of major projects which were carried out within the jurisdiction of the Ga state without the consultation of Ga Chiefs.
“I can give a lot of examples but the citizens feel or think we the chiefs are in bed with the government for the harsh treatment they are receiving, which is not the case. An example is the opening of the JamesTown fishing harbor, we the chiefs were around and no one sat with us concerning the project”
“All we saw was a sword cutting ceremony and work had started. The work is ongoing and we do not know what exactly is going on there, we do not know who and who will be employed and the timelines for the project, we were not consulted” Nii Otintor continued.
The embittered ‘Mantse’ shared examples of how the custodians of the Ga Lands have been deliberately emasculated from their roles within the Ga state.
“Another example to cite is the space given to Zoomlion at the Korle; if I told you that it had been completed before the Chiefs were consulted, you wouldn’t believe it. We knew nothing about it. You understand what I am trying to say and many things are going on”, he added.
In addition, “the Accra Metropolitan Assembly(AMA) and we all know the stretch of the assembly. When the partitioning took place and all the things that showed that there would be the creation of new municipalities, the chiefs and the custodians of the land were not consulted”.
He poked members of Parliament who are descendants of the Ga people for not acting responsibly for the betterment of the Ga state by adding,
“We need to ask them questions, because in Greater Accra there is a Ga caucus, EX-COP NDC and NPP, they are the ones who are supposed to let the leaders of this country understand the needs and wants of the Ga state. So when we speak and it goes no further, who is at fault?”
The Ga Chief believes that the treatment they have received from all quarters of the ruling bodies of the state has rendered the Ga Chiefs ‘ineffective’
“When it happens like this some feel the Ga Chiefs are weak but we are not weak, but we can not speak because we are being maltreated. They are taking our lands and our wealth, working with it for returns and the chiefs are being ignored”
