The Eastern Regional Peace Council has organised a capacity-building programme for traditional leaders and local government officials in the Akuapem Adonten Division to strengthen traditional and local governance systems and promote sustainable peace.
The programme, held at Aburi in the Eastern Region, brought together about 200 traditional leaders and local government officials under the theme: ‘trengthening Traditional and Local Governance Systems.’
Participants were trained in customary law and statutory provisions relating to the adjudication of cases, principles of natural justice in traditional adjudication, customary arbitration, adjudication of cases by traditional leaders, and traditional governance and contemporary leadership.
Speaking at the programme, the Chairman of the Eastern Regional Peace Council, Dr Mark Boadu, said the initiative was informed by findings from the Council’s 2025 Regional Peace Index, which identified chieftaincy disputes as a major source of conflict in the region.
He said about 61 per cent of conflict issues recorded in the region were largely related to chieftaincy, followed by land disputes.
Dr Boadu said the Council had, therefore, decided to build the capacity of traditional leaders to enable them to better understand contemporary governance, legal requirements and effective ways of resolving disputes.
He said the programme was intended to equip traditional leaders with the knowledge and skills to adjudicate cases fairly and transparently, thereby reducing the number of disputes that ended up in the formal courts.
“If we are able to handle issues better at the palace, and everyone feels it is properly done, it is fair, it is justice, there won’t be the need to be rushing to the local court for redress,” he said.
Dr Boadu said the initiative would also promote greater transparency and accountability within traditional institutions and strengthen public confidence in their decisions.
He said it was the second programme of its kind, following an earlier one held at Akwamufie.
A resource person, Lawyer Alex Nartey, said chiefs played a critical role in Ghana’s governance system, particularly in adjudication, customary arbitration and mediation.
He said traditional leaders needed to understand the legal principles governing their adjudicatory functions to ensure that their decisions were respected and sustained.
Lawyer Nartey urged chiefs to observe the principles of natural justice, including fair hearing and neutrality, and to avoid conflicts of interest when adjudicating cases.
He said proper application of those principles would enhance access to justice at traditional councils and palaces and encourage disputing parties to use traditional dispute-resolution mechanisms.
The Council also introduced a self-assessment and governance assessment exercise, through which participants would identify governance gaps and develop action plans to improve governance in their respective communities.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Akuapem South Municipality, Mr Paul Osae Offer, said the Akuapem Adonten Division had been confronted with a number of land disputes, many of which involved lands vested in traditional authorities.
He said the training was, therefore, necessary to equip traditional leaders with the requisite knowledge and skills to adjudicate such cases and resolve them fairly.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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