The Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has expressed worry about the increase in expulsion cases being orchestrated by some traditional authorities across the Central Region.
The Commission said the practice had resurfaced in many remote parts of the region. The Regional Director of CHRAJ, Daniel Amosah said Chiefs or traditional authorities tend to banish members of their community, sometimes over trivial matters such as failure to participate in communal labour.
He said the practice has outlived its relevance with constitutional democracy, international rights and conventions.
The Ghana News Agency reports that CHRAJ had received many complaints of outright banishment and also social ostracism, often citing disobedience against traditional authorities.
Mr. Amosah called on all traditional authorities to be law-abiding to ensure peaceful coexistence, bearing in mind that the Constitution is the supreme law of the country and any other law found to be inconsistent with any provision of the Constitution shall to the extent of the inconsistency, be void. He reminded traditional authorities to be guided by the prestige of their institution and dictates of the Constitution to avoid any illogical use of powers to oppress and victimize people who have no means of redress.
