The Dagbon traditional council has adopted a new constitution to replace the 90-year-old constitution, which was seen by stakeholders as outmoded.
The old constitution was subjected to rigorous review to amend outmoded customs and practices which did not inure to the wellbeing of Dagbon.
With the adoption of the amended constitution, Dagbon is expected to chart a new path to focus on consolidating peace and development.
As part of efforts to consolidate the peace and reconciliation of Dagbon after nearly forty years of turmoil, the overlord of Dagbon, Ya Na Abukari set up the Dagbon Constitutional Review Committee to review the Dagbon constitution which was said to have outlived its usefulness since the last review in 1930 and contributed to a series of chieftaincy succession disputes and land disputes in the area.
The revised constitution provides clear succession paths to all the skins in Dagbon and recognises Karaga, Savelugu and Mion as the only skin gates to the Dagbon Nam in Yendi.
After several meetings, the traditional council met on Thursday to adopt the newly drafted constitution.
This was not without controversies, as some chiefs argued for the inclusion of grandchildren to be successors to the three gate skins and then the Yendi skin.
After a long argument, the constitution was adopted by the Dagbon traditional council.
The paramount chief of the Kumbungu traditional area, Abu Iddrisu, who sat in for the Ya Naa as President of the Dagbon Traditional Council, said the development is a great milestone for Dagbon in sustaining peace.
“From now on, we know that we have a guiding document that serves every purpose of our Kingdom, that will remove bad behaviour or carelessness in the society and Ya Na will have a document. It will be there just that it was not written, so some people will say they don’t know, now, you can’t do anything without obeying the constitution.”
Speaking after the adoption, the Northern Regional Minister appealed to the traditional leaders to control the use of sophisticated weapons during festivals, as this has the tendency of retrogressing the peace gained so far.
“I want to appeal to the traditional council to check this attitude among the youth. The use of sophisticated weapons is illegal, and the law will not sleep on it.”
The new constitution will be referred to the Northern Regional House of chiefs from where it will be sent to the National House of Chiefs, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs as well as the Attorney General’s Department, which will issue and publish a Legislative Instrument to give it a legal backing.
