Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has clarified that there was never a request for Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, the Overlord of Gonja, to rise and greet President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Reports surfaced claiming that during an event in Damongo on Saturday, April 27, 2024, the Yagbonwura was asked to stand and welcome the President.
However, in a statement dated Tuesday, April 30, the Ministry of Chieftaincy dismissed these reports, urging the public to disregard the misinterpretation attributed to a viral video.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is important to reiterate that at no point during the President’s visit to Damongo on Saturday, 27th April 2024, was the Yagbonwura asked to stand up and greet the President.
“As Minister, I was with the President at the event, and, as seen clearly on videos, the President, beaming with smiles, walked over and paid homage to the Yagbonwura, who was the host of the event in Damongo. The general public is urged to avoid this deliberate and misleading piece of propaganda which is being distributed by mischief makers.”
“The call for Chiefs to stand when greeting him at public events is not intended to undermine the dignity or autonomy of traditional leaders. Rather, it is a recognition of their esteemed role in Ghanaian society by embracing the Head of State thereby showing brotherly love and mutual respect,” the ministry said.
The Ministry emphasized that during the President’s visit to Damongo, there was no such request made to the Yagbonwura.
The Minister himself was present at the event and clarified that the President approached the Yagbonwura with smiles, paying homage to him as the host of the event.
Furthermore, the Ministry clarified that the tradition of chiefs standing when greeting the President at public events is not meant to undermine their dignity but rather to recognize their esteemed role in Ghanaian society and to show mutual respect.
The Minister reiterated that no chief has been compelled to stand up to greet President Akufo-Addo within the confines of their palaces, as the President respects the sanctity of their ancestral spaces.
The protocol of chiefs rising to greet the President at public events is in accordance with the Constitution and serves to uphold Ghana’s cultural heritage while embracing modern governance.
In conclusion, the Ministry affirmed President Akufo-Addo’s commitment to preserving Ghanaian cultural values and fostering harmonious relations within the nation, emphasizing the tradition of showing respect for authority as a testament to Ghana’s rich heritage.
“Indeed, the protocol where, at public events, chiefs rise to greet him as indeed is stated in the Constitution [Article 57(2)] is meant to give credence to this unique national provision.”
“In conclusion, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs reaffirms President Akufo-Addo’s commitment to upholding Ghanaian cultural values and fostering harmonious relations within the nation.
“The tradition of showing respect for authority, including the request for Chiefs to stand when greeting the President at public events, serves as a testament to Ghana’s rich heritage and traditions,” the Ministry said.
Please, at that material moment, nobody knows what was going on spiritualy. If ,indeed, the chief felt reluctant to stand up and embrace him, the president should count himself blessed to have escaped any spiritual mishaps.Another reason might be that the chief was encountering some health problem. At this crucial election period, political parties will find every opportunity to undo each other to win power. This kind of attitudes erodes the dignity in party politics.