PANEL DISCUSSION ON ASSESSING THE MIX OF TRADITIONAL AND FORMAL LEADERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT

The National College of Defence Studies held a seminar as part of the maiden Strategic Leadership Course 2025 on the topic “Assessing the Mix of Traditional and Formal Leadership for Development”. The seminar was held on Thursday, 5 June 2025, at the Burma Hall to climax the Course. The Chairman for the seminar was Dr Patrick Osei-Kufour, Vice Dean of the College with the panel members as Obrempong Dr Westse Kojo II (Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata, James Town), Mama Gbee II (the Awadada of Afife Traditional Area) and Otumfuo Amoah Sasraku IV (the Omanhene of Twifoman Traditional Area). The other panel members were Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II (the Paramount Queen of the Great-Ningo Traditional Area) and Mr Enoch Addo from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development. The panellists discussed the roles, responsibilities and challenges of traditional and formal leadership. They noted that there was the need to restore some of the relinquished powers of the chiefs and further opined that there should be synergy in the functions of chieftaincy as an institution and the formal sector. The discussions also highlighted National Development, which encompasses social well-being, equity, political, economic and social stability. Challenges such as corruption, over-concentration of power, limited resources, urbanisation and policy inconsistencies were also discussed. The panellists suggested capacity building, resource mobilisation, checks and balances as well as separation of powers as the way forward to reap the full benefits of the mix between traditional leadership and the formal system of governance.