Togbe Tepreh Hodo IV (left) handing over a perpetual flame to Togbega Kadzi Zogah II (right)
Traditional rulers of all Tongu communities in the Volta Region have inaugurated a unitary traditional state called the Tongu Chiefs Union.
The new union is made up of various traditional rulers of some 13 traditional areas that form the people of Tongu in the region.
Tongu means the bank of a water body. The people of the Tongu enclave are commonly found along the Volta Lake. Administratively, the areas are the North, Central, and South Tongu districts.
The people of Tongu are mainly fishermen and cash crop farmers.
On Saturday, August 24, 2024, they held a colorful inauguration durbar at Juapong, one of the economic towns in the region.
Speaking at the durbar, the president of the union, Togbega Kadzi Zogah II, said the idea to birth a unitary enclave was championed by two chiefs.
However, after three years of preparation, the creation was found relevant.
On the objectives of the Tongu Chiefs Union, Togbega Kadzi noted that the union is to provide social protection and welfare for members, solve chieftaincy disputes through customary arbitration, and maintain and promote the values of the Tongu people.
He further said they want to encourage education, advocate for community development, enter into external partnerships for the development of the member communities, and also assist and facilitate business development amongst the chiefs and people of Tongu.
Togbega Kadzi stressed the need to be united and urged the traditional rulers of the enclave to settle any chieftaincy disputes.
“We wish to appeal to Tongus to try to resolve their disputes without recourse to judicial litigation, which, apart from being time-wasting and expensive, draws development backward. We cannot develop amidst a chieftaincy dispute,” he said.
He also urged politicians to handle the 2024 general election devoid of actions and inactions that will fuel violence, adding that “we have seen how violence brought some prosperous countries down, and it will take them many years to recover. This is why we mustn’t do anything to disturb the peace.”
On his part, the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepreh Hodo IV, who was chairman of the ceremony, lamented the existence of chieftaincy disputes in the region.
He admonished traditional rulers in the region to eschew their differences and join forces for peace and unity for their areas and the region at large.
The president urged the Tongu Chiefs Union to address all chieftaincy disputes in any of the Tongu communities and prayed for peaceful cohesion for the people of Tongu.
The Volta Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa, represented the government at the ceremony.
In his speech on behalf of Nana Akufo Addo, Dr. Letsa said he is aware of the challenges that traditional rulers face and pledged his availability to support them.
He applauded the idea and asked that the chiefs visit him at the Jubilee House for discussions on how to develop the Tongu state.
The regional minister also delivered a speech on behalf of the Minister for Local Government.
He said the ministry sees the union as critical to governance and, hence, will be given the needed support.
Chiefs and queens from other traditional areas, including Dzodze, Peki, Kpando, and Awudome traditional councils, graced the ceremony.
The durbar was characterised by traditional costumes, rich chieftaincy regalia, dancing, and the performance of magic.
Other speakers at the event called for unity and prayed for a peaceful election in December 2024.
