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272 FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS
The National House of Chiefs shall (a) advise any person or authority charged with any responsibility under this Constitution or any
other law for any matter relating to or affecting chieftaincy;
(b) undertake the progressive study, interpretation and codification of customary law with a view
to evolving, in appropriate cases, a unified system of rules of customary law, and compiling the
customary laws and lines of succession applicable to each stool or skin;
(c) undertake an evaluation of traditional customs and usages with a view to eliminating those
customs and usages that are outmoded and socially harmful;
(d) perform such other functions, not being inconsistent with any function assigned to the House of
Chiefs of a region, as Parliament may refer to it.
273 JURISDICTION OF THE NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS
(1)
The National House of Chiefs shall have appellate jurisdiction in any cause or matter affecting
chieftaincy which has been determined by the Regional House of Chiefs in a region, from which
appellate jurisdiction there shall be an appeal to the Supreme Court, with the leave of the National
House of Chiefs, or the Supreme Court.
(2)
The appellate jurisdiction of the National House of Chiefs shall be exercised by a Judicial Committee
of the National House of Chiefs consisting of five persons appointed by that House from among its
members.
(3)
A Judicial Committee of a National House of Chiefs shall be assisted by a lawyer of not less than ten
years' standing appointed by the National House of Chiefs on the recommendation of the
Attorney-General.
(4)
A member of a Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs shall be removed from office on
the ground of proven misbehaviour or of infirmity of mind or body by the votes of not less than
two-thirds of all the members of the National House of Chiefs.
(5)
A Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs shall have original jurisdiction in any cause or
matter affecting chieftaincy
(a) which lies within the competence of two or more Regional Houses of Chiefs; or
(b) which is not properly within the jurisdiction of a Regional House of Chiefs; or
(c) which cannot otherwise be dealt with by a Regional House of Chiefs.
(6)
An appeal shall lie as of right in respect of any cause or matter dealt with by a Judicial Committee of
the National House of Chiefs under clause (5) of this article to the Supreme Court.
Ghana 1992 (rev. 1996)
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