QUEENMOTHER FOR BONGO TRADITIONAL COUNCIL (OCT 7, 2010)

THE Bongo Traditional Council has for the first time in four decades elected a queenmother for the area, in the person of Ms Christiana Asindikye Ngee, a 54-year-old educationist.
The election of the queenmother was in response to a suggestion from the National House of Chiefs that traditional councils in the three northern regions should facilitate the election of queenmothers who would play meaningful roles in the development of the area especially, in addressing issues affecting women.
It is in response to this challenge that four royal families, namely Anafobisi, Adabobisi, Abumbangbabisi and Asankabisi, under the direction of the Paramount Chief of Bongo, Naba Salifu Aleemyarom, have unanimously elected Ms Ngee, who is a staff of the District Directorate of Education to the position.
Speaking at the post coronation event, Naba Baba Salifu said the event was not only historic but also would be of great help to development and promotion of peace.
He particularly commended the National House of Chiefs for listening to the proposal he made during the Africa Sister City International Conference held in May this year, where all the chiefs from southern Ghana attended the conference together with their queenmothers, whilst those from the north were without queenmothers because they had none.
Outlining the role of the queenmother in the administration of the traditional council, he said she would assist in mobilising women in the traditional area towards development, participate in the arbitration of cases, especially those concerning women and communicate cases beyond her to the traditional council for resolution.
He added that the queenmother would also be invited to the traditional council, Regional House and the National House of Chiefs on cases pertaining to women and also be responsible for the selection of “magazia” that is women leaders in the traditional area.
Naba Aleemyarom appealed to other traditional councils in the northern part of the country to fast track the process of electing queenmothers to help accelerate development particularly.
He was optimistic that the election of queenmothers in the area would help address some of the negative cultural practices and customs affecting women and children in the area.
The Queenmother-elect, who is also a panel member of Bongo District Family Tribunal, expressed her appreciation to the royal families for unanimously endorsing her for the position and promised to work hard in the interest of the traditional area.