Hajia Hamdatu
Ibrahim, the National Vice Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP),
has expressed surprise and disappointment with the show of disagreement among
the leadership of the National House of Chiefs on the December 17, 2019,
referendum.
“The National House of Chiefs is a revered
institution and should remain as such, I am surprised and disappointed the
National House of Chiefs is coming out this way, they are a group of people who
are revered, they shouldn’t have waded into this, it is total confusion which
shouldn’t have come from chiefs,” she bemoaned.
Speaking on
the sidelines of a public lecture on ‘The Importance of the referendum’, Hajia
Ibrahim pointed out that “I’m sorry to say that, I am really surprised and
disappointed with the chiefs in the way they handled the issue. Is it that,
there was no consultation among them? The chiefs should stay at their palaces
and make decisions and intervene to make peace on the way forward with the
referendum.”
Hajia Alima Mahama, the Minister of Local
Government and Rural Development is not enthused about the position by the
National House of Chiefs and also took on the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
which is aggressively advocating for a ‘no’ vote.
“I think it is unfortunate for a person of good
standing of the National House of Chiefs, on a matter like this, he could have
gone to talk to the president to advise him, I don’t think it is the best mode
to come out like that”.
“If you look at background the NDC has come out with
at the press conference, they said there should be no vote. Within three days, this
came out. It will look like the National House of Chiefs is toeing a certain
line, the NDC has shown bad faith in its opposition to a yes vote in the upcoming
referendum,” she lamented.
There is
seeming division within the National House of Chiefs over the referendum on
whether or not to allow political parties to sponsor candidates for local level
elections,
while its President, Togbe Afede XIV and the
Vice President, Daasebre Nana Kwebu Ewusi VII indicated the House was against
the government’s position on the referendum some other members of the House
wanted a yes vote since position of their president did not represent the collective
view of the National House of Chiefs. -citinewsroom.com