Ghanatodayonline.com News, Politics, Health, Education & More
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the honor guard parade organized by the Ghana Police Service on January 6, 2026, stated that Ghana’s journey toward enduring peace relies on cooperation between traditional leadership and contemporary law enforcement.
He challenged the idea that the two institutions vie for significance, stating, “Our visit today sends a powerful national message: Tradition and modern law enforcements are not rivals struggling for relevance but are collaborators safeguarding the same future,”.
Otumfuo remarked that prior to the establishment of formal policing, Ghanaian communities depended on traditions, elders, and collective values to manage behavior, settle conflicts, and maintain harmony.
“No society can outsource morality entirely to the state and expect peace,” he said. “If law alone can save society, then countries with the thickest law books will have no prisons and problems at all.”
He described how culture influences behavior significantly before criminality emerges, whereas law limits actions when societal norms collapse. When culture deteriorates, he stated, law enforcement must stretch itself beyond its capabilities.
The Asantehene states that policing is most effective in communities where people have faith in mutual protection and where officers are seen as allies instead of opponents.
He advocated for organized collaboration between leaders and the police, especially via community policing, mediation, and proactive involvement “Dialogue should precede deployment and mediation should come before confrontation”, he further stated.
Otumfuo also stated that mutual respect between traditional leaders and the police enhances collaboration, strengthens communities, and eliminates safe havens for criminal acts.
Traditional leaders continue to play significant roles in community governance throughout Ghana. They offer guidance, mediation, and culturally relevant methods for settling conflicts within the community. The Ghana Police Service, as the nation’s main law enforcement body, supports these initiatives by upholding internal security, deterring crime, and enforcing laws across the country.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
