31st July, 2017
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Monday charged traditional rulers in the state to remain focused on contributing to peace and development in their areas.
Wike gave the charge at the 106th Quarter General Session of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt.
“Traditional rulers should build a stronger relationship with the government; they should support the growth of democracy.
“Peace is paramount to development in every democracy, hence the need for peace in the various communities,“ the governor said.
He said that in as much as it was not the function of government to install a traditional ruler, recognising such traditional stool was a responsibility of the government.
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“Any traditional ruler who could not settle communal disputes and crises in their domain would cease to be recognised by the government,” he said.
King Danderson Jaja, Traditional Ruler of the Opobo Kingdom and Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers promised on behalf of the Council to ensure peace in their domains.
He commended the governor on his developmental strides in the state and urged the government to improve the welfare of members of the council.
His Majesty, Theophilus Princewill, Traditional Ruler of the Kalabari Kingdom and former Chairman Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, urged the government to assign constitutional roles to traditional rulers in the state.
He said that if constitutional roles were assigned to traditional rulers, the challenge of tackling communal crises would have been reduced.