Sociologist Dr Nana Obiri Yeboah has condemned the emerging trend of chiefs endorsing politicians.
Despite provisions in the constitution frowning on chiefs engaging in partisan politics, party flag bearers, especially President John Dramani Mahama and main opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo, have on their various tours and regional campaigns been openly endorsed by some chiefs and traditional rulers.
However, speaking to Class News, Dr Yeboah said allowing chiefs to dabble in politics would be dangerous for the country’s democracy. “[With chiefs openly declaring support for politicians], the cost of the damage will be higher than what we are seeing today. There is nothing wrong with the constitutional provision but the behaviour is what we need to look at and cure.”
Dr Yeboah said politicians can prevent chiefs from dabbling in politics if they stopped going to their palaces and rather go directly to the people to campaign.
“If we say now every chief can do politics, the war that will come we cannot pay for it. Our problem is that our chieftaincy system is a family system. When you see one chief, you are talking to a thousand. So, the best way to get to the thousand is through the chief.
So, if the politicians also stop storming palaces and go to the people directly at their homes, they will avoid all these things. But they still want the cheap way of getting to the people. If you give a chief a Pajero, the people think it is for all of them, so there is a lot of bribery and corruption over there. Some chiefs are just using that to solicit funds for their selfish interests and that is bad and that is why I condemn it,” he stated.
