The Director in charge of Otumfuo Centre for Traditional Leadership (OCTL), University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Dr Gerald Gyamfi, has urged traditional authorities to be neutral and choose the path to peace to promote progress, unity and development.
“You are the spokespersons for your subjects and your communication pathway can enhance the progress, growth and development of your communities or create chaos if not well communicated,” he cautioned.
Dr Gyamfi explained that being neutral and peace conscious would reshape traditional authorities to remain the greatest catalyst to create new opportunities towards progress, growth and development of their communities.
He made the call at the closing ceremony of a five-day workshop organised for traditional authorities, staff of Traditional Councils and Regional House of Chiefs at the centre, in Accra.
Dr Gyamfi stated that there were numerous challenges and problems facing the chieftaincy institution due to advancement in technology and globalisation andappealed to traditional authorities to be mindful of thetraditional world that they pass on to future generation.
“The workshop has empowered participants with knowledge and skill to create perfect pathways for peace, unity and development despite challenges and problems but will impact positively to sustain peaceful coexistence, stability and security because the role of chieftaincy as an instrument of social cohesion and stability in socioeconomic development of the country,” he stressed.
Professor Abednego Amartey, Vice Chancellor, UPSA, observed that traditional leaders were primary agents of change and development and were also seen as the representatives of communities and it was their duty to harmonise them with customs, values, norms and traditions.
He called on chiefs to formalise processes and documentations to collate evidence of issues, problems, challenges, tackle them across learning and sharing processes in communities to enhance knowledge and insight acquired to benefit their leadership and commended them for efforts and commitment to be agents of change and development.
Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VIII, Chairman for the ceremony, said the world was constantly evolving as well as expectations of the people in the communities, hence the need for leaders to strive to put themselves in better positions to help address problems and challenges.
He lauded the centre for providing the platform to train leaders to bring progress,development and growth to communities however, must not lose track of tradition and culture to ensure descendants of Africans in the diaspora remained attracted to Ghana. -GNA
