THE REPUBLIC vs. NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND 2 OTHERS EX-PARTE: AHANTA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL OSAHENE KATAKYI BUSUMAKURA III [2019]DLSC5274

THE REPUBLIC vs. NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND 2 OTHERS EX-PARTE: AHANTA TRADITI... [2019]DLSC5274

Date	2019-01-30
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J4/32/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLSC5274

DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING)

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

BENIN JSC

DORDZIE (MRS) JSC

AMEGATCHER JSC

VICTOR OWUSU FOR THE APPLICANTS/APPELLANTS.

PHILIP NKRUMAH FOR THE 1ST 2ND 3RD RESPONDENTS AND INTERESTED PARTY.

[2019]DLSC5274
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>NATIONAL
HOUSE OF CHIEFS AND 2 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p>EX-PARTE: AHANTA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL<o:p></o:p>(APPLICANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>OSAHENE
KATAKYI BUSUMAKURA III<o:p></o:p>(INTERESTED
PARTY/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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CIVIL APPEAL NO.
J4/32/2018&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;DATE:
30TH JANUARY, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>VICTOR
OWUSU FOR THE APPLICANTS/APPELLANTS.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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PHILIP
NKRUMAH FOR THE 1ST, 2ND, 3RD RESPONDENTS AND
INTERESTED PARTY.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING), BAFFOE-BONNIE
JSC, BENIN JSC, DORDZIE (MRS) JSC, AMEGATCHER JSC<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AMEGATCHER, JSC:-<o:p></o:p>This appeal is about the elevation of a divisional stool to the
status of paramountcy in the Western Region of the Republic of Ghana. The
distinguished retired justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana and jurist Justice
Stephen Alan Brobbey in his book: The Law of Chieftaincy in Ghana, 1st
edition, 2008 researched into how paramountcy is created and concluded at page
15 as follows:<o:p></o:p>‘It would appear that the paramount status comes into being by
about three methods: The first is by the traditional process of installation;
the second is elevation by an overlord and the third is by a legislative
instrument elevating the chief below paramount status to the status of a
paramount chief’. <o:p></o:p>Armed with the benefit of this research, we proceed to deal with
this appeal on this traditional time-honoured but evolving institution in Ghana.
Osahene Katakyi Busumakura III, hereafter called the Interested Party
is the Chief of Takoradi. The stool of Takoradi is a divisional stool under the
Ahanta Traditional Council, the Appellant in this case. On 16th
April 2009, the Interested Party wrote a petition to the President of the
National House of Chiefs, the 1st Respondent herein, to restore
Takoradiman Divisional Stool to the status of Paramountcy. On receipt of the
petition, the 1st Respondent wrote to the Western Regional House of
Chiefs, the 2nd Respondent in this appeal, referring the petition to
it for its comments and advice since Takoradi falls within the jurisdiction of
that regional house. The 2nd Respondent also on receipt of the
reference from the1st Respondent set up a committee of enquiry, the 3rd
Respondent, to consider the petition and advise it.<o:p></o:p>The Appellant was not happy with the petition,
referred by the 1st Respondent to the 2nd Respondent and
the subsequent setting up of the 3rd Respondent. On 11th
April 2012, the Appellant brought at application before the High Court, Sekondi
for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>