Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has underscored the need to accord the needed respect and recognition for cultural and customary diversity in proposals for enactments at the National House of Chiefs.
His Majesty intimated that customs differ across ethnic groups and tribes, and thereby a blanket law, such as has been proposed to include queens in House of Chiefs sittings for decision-making, cannot be imposed on all.
The diversity, His Majesty stated, is recognised under the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) and the 1992 Constitution and must be respected.
“Ghanaians must know that cultures differ across, as such, contravening laws cannot be enacted at the national level to be imposed on everyone. Our culture and tradition are different from others. They {National House of Chiefs} must be careful not to bother us with the statutory enactment…Some people practise a patrilineal culture, while ours is matrilineal. The National House of Chiefs, which has a diverse background of people, must be careful not to mix them up.”
“The Constitution states that the ‘institution of chieftaincy together with its traditional councils as established by customary law and usage is hereby guaranteed in the constitution.’ What is customary usage?”
Otumfuo thereby called for the appreciation of the existing diverse customs.
The Asantehene made these remarks on December 19, 2025, during the last sitting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs while reacting to proposals from the National House of Chiefs to amend the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) to establish a Chamber of Queenmothers and include them in House of Chiefs sittings.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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opemsuo.com