The Dean of the University of Ghana School of Law, Raymond Atuguba, has criticized the Ministry of Chieftaincy for justifying the President’s request for chiefs to stand when greeting him.
During an appearance on JoyNews’ AM Show on Thursday, May 2, Atuguba expressed disapproval of the Ministry’s decision to release a letter justifying the President’s request, stating that they should have known better.
His comments came in response to a statement by the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, who explained that the President’s request “is not intended to undermine the dignity or autonomy of traditional leaders.”
The incident that sparked this controversy occurred at a ceremony in Damongo, where President Akufo-Addo’s bodyguards allegedly instructed a traditional ruler to stand up and greet him.
This incident followed a video that surfaced showing President Akufo-Addo instructing chiefs at a funeral to rise before shaking hands with him.
According to the statement signed by Mr Boateng, chiefs standing up to greet the President “is a recognition of their esteemed role in Ghanaian society by embracing the Head of State, thereby showing brotherly love and mutual respect.”
In response, Prof. Atuguba emphasized that chiefs hold absolute authority and power within their traditional domain, and therefore, they deserve the utmost respect from the President.
“It shouldn’t be coming from the Chieftaincy Ministry. They should know better. They should know that whoever goes to the palace of the Asantehene should not expect the Asantehene to rise for him.
“They should know that whoever goes to the palace of the Okyehene should not expect the Okyehene to rise for him. Whoever goes to the palace of the Yagbonwura should not expect the Yagbonwura to rise for him,” he said.
Prof. Atuguba emphasized that the Constitution upholds specific usages and customs, requiring visitors to adhere to them when entering a traditional domain. He highlighted that every traditional chief, regardless of the size of their domain, commands authority and deserves respect within their jurisdiction.
“The littlest chief in Ghana, when he or she presides over a traditional ceremony is boss and even the president within that traditional ceremony is subject to that littlest chief. The situation changes when you move to the international conference centre and Independence Square.”
“When you go there, no one can take precedence over the president, vice president, speaker of parliament and the chief justice. No, because that is a formal event that comes under Article 57(2) of the constitution.
“At that point, all the chiefs including the biggest chiefs in Ghana must rise for the president and the others in that order of precedence, he said.”