Traditional Authorities have been charged to maintain peace in their respective jurisdictions to ensure progress and development across the country.

Peace and stability are prerequisite to the transformational agenda of the Government as it seeks to industrialize the country through the numerous flagship programs being rolled out across all the 16 regions in the country.

The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Ebenezer Kojo Kum made the call when he inaugurated four traditional councils in the Upper West Region during the week.

He said ethnic and religious intolerance always defer the much needed development and prosperity in the affected communities, however, a peaceful coexistence of all ethnic and social groups spells out a strong foundation for wealth creation.

He therefore urged the chieftaincy institution in the country to support the drive of promoting peace and protecting the environment against menace like galamsey and indiscriminate felling of rose wood in the country.

The four traditional councils inaugurated were Sankana, Takpo, Manwe and Banu all in the Upper West Region.

In their welcome address, the paramount chiefs were visibly excited at the inaugurations of their traditional councils and expressed their gratitude to the Government for acknowledging the role of chieftaincy in seeking to maintain peace and protect the environment through traditional authorities.

The President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, Naa Dikomwine Domalae said the Region acknowledged President Akufo Addo’s effort at rolling out multiple flagship intervention programs aimed at supporting youths and improving lives in the country.

The Sankana Traditional Council has a membership of 36 divisional and sub chiefs headed by a Paramount Chief, Naa Pargranege Sakore Mornah III, whilst Takpa is headed by Naa Widana Nanga II with the membership of 15 divisional and sub chiefs. Naa Alhaji Abubakari Yussif is the Paramount Chief of the Manwe Traditional area with 37 sub and divisional chiefs as members of the council and the head of the Banu Traditional Council is Pio Chirasuri Niti II with 19 chiefs under his jurisdiction. In all, the total number of traditional councils in the Region now stands at 32 from 28.