Asantehene
expresses
worry
over
non-payment
of
royalties
Kumasi,
Dec.
20,
GNA
–
The
Asantehene
Otumfuo
Osei
Tutu
11,
has
expressed
grave
concern
about
the
inability
of
the
Administrator
of
Stool
Lands
to
pay
appropriate
and
timely
royalties
to
beneficiary
stools
and
skins
in
the
country.
He
said
the
irregularities
in
the
payment
of
the
royalties
had
become
a
source
of
worry
to
chiefs
and
was
hampering
their
developmental
efforts.
Otumfuo
Osei
Tutu
attributed
the
problem
to
the
payment
of
royalties
into
the
Consolidated
Fund
and
suggested
the
creation
of a
separate
account
into
which
royalties
could
be
paid
to
ensure
that
the
money
was
disbursed
only
for
the
payment
of
royalties
to
the
beneficiary
stools
and
skins.
Addressing
the
end
of
year
meeting
of
the
Ashanti
Regional
House
of
Chiefs
in
Kumasi
on
Wednesday,
Otumfuo
Osei
Tutu,
who
is
also
the
President
of
the
House,
bemoaned
the
huge
sums
of
arrears
in
royalty
payments
to
stools
and
skins
and
said
some
stools
had
not
yet
received
full
payment
of
royalties
due
for
2003,
while
those
for
the
2004
to
2006
were
still
outstanding.
He
said
most
chiefs
were
unable
to
undertake
development
projects
due
to
the
lack
of
funds.
Otumfuo
Osei
Tutu
appealed
to
the
Administrator
of
Stool
Lands
to
provide
statement
of
accounts
on
royalties
paid
for
stool
lands
to
enable
chiefs
to
know
the
appropriate
amount
due
them.
He
also
called
for
the
inclusion
of
the
views
of
chiefs
and
important
customary
laws
on
the
draft
chieftaincy
amendment
bill
and
said
chiefs
as
major
stakeholders
had
it
as a
duty
to
contribute
to
the
promulgation
of
laws
that
would
affect
them.
The
Asantehene
also
called
for
the
active
involvement
of
chiefs
in
the
formulation
and
implementation
of
policies
and
programmes
at
the
grassroots
to
promote
effective
governance
at
the
local
level.
Mr
Sampson
Kwaku
Boafo,
Minister
for
Chieftaincy
and
Culture,
praised
chiefs
for
their
continuous
roles
in
the
promotion
of
good
governance
and
leadership.
He
said
the
Ministry
was
created
to
give
chiefs
the
needed
support
by
providing
logistics
and
equipment
that
would
promote
the
chieftaincy
institution.
Mr
Boafo
appealed
to
chiefs
to
ensure
that
communities
were
kept
clean
at
all
times
to
prevent
communicable
diseases
in
their
areas.
Justice
Yaw
Apau,
Supervising
High
Court
Judge
in
Kumasi,
cautioned
chiefs
against
engaging
in
active
partisan
politics
and
said
that
would
erode
the
respect
and
recognition
of
the
chieftaincy
institution.
He
urged
chiefs
to
desist
from
interfering
in
the
adjudication
of
criminal
and
other
cases
and
allow
the
law
to
take
its
course.
Mr
Justice
Apau
also
appealed
to
chiefs
to
impress
upon
their
district
assemblies
to
provide
decent
court
rooms
and
accommodation
for
judges
in
their
areas.
GNA
