The National House of Chiefs says it is pursuing plans to bring all traditional leaders in Africa together under one body.
The body which will be known as the African Traditional Leaders Union (ATLU) will make traditional leaders less vulnerable and also empower many of them to be in a position to compliment the efforts of political leaders.
Addressing Members during the second General meeting of the house on 19th June, 2020, President of the House; Togbe Afede XIV, who is also the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, said “recent events have exposed the vulnerability of the black race and the imperative need for us, as traditional leaders, to think about what we can do to complement what our political leaders are doing to further the cause of peace, unity and development in Africa”.
He recounted that Africa has 20% of the world’s landmass, 30% of the earth’s mineral resources and 17% of its people, yet Africa suffers mass poverty and joblessness contributing insignificant proportions to global GDP and global trade, 3% and 2% respectively.
He said the search for answers to these and numerous other problems have engaged the minds of the leadership of the house, hence the decision to initiate conversation with important traditional leaders across the continent towards hosting a conference of Africa traditional leaders in Ghana in 2021.
He believes the conference should prepare the grounds for the formation of a permanent continental body to be known as African Traditional Leaders Union (ATLU) to coordinate the activities of Kings throughout the continent.
He revealed that the leadership of the house have already had meetings with the Ambassadors of Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Niger, Liberia, and Botswana and will be visiting the remaining embassies in due course.
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