The Dorimon Traditional Council in the Upper West Region has formally adopted a policy framework designed to streamline and legitimize the Pognaa, the female chief, institution. The eight‑month consultative process was led by Dr Adams Sabogu, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies, who has long studied the barriers faced by women in traditional leadership.
During a ceremony at Dorimon Palace, Dr Sabogu explained that the policy will allow daughters of royal lineages to be selected as Pognaamini by the Yidaana in consultation with female elders, and will recognize them as chiefs rather than merely women leaders. The framework aligns their installation with that of male rulers, grants exemptions from certain ritual restrictions, and sets out procedures for destoolment.
Under the new rules, deceased Pognaamini will receive a 16‑gun salute on Per‑maalo day and will be commemorated with tombstones. The Paramount Chief, Naa Alhaji Seidu Tungbani Salinbile II, said the council had no reservations about the policy, noting that resistance to female leadership has often stemmed from misplaced assumptions and historical religious changes.
Dr Kristonyo Blemayi‑Honya, a research fellow at UBIDS, praised the initiative as a step toward decolonising traditional governance. “We used to complain that we were given guns without bullets and could not fire. Now we have the guns and, thankfully, we have the bullets,” she said, urging female chiefs to use their positions to promote development.
Pognaa Mieri Gaapie, the Dorimon Oli Pognaa, highlighted that the new policy has removed fears and tensions that previously existed between female and male traditional leaders. The Duasi Naa, Naa Bawa Seidu, pledged support from sub‑chiefs and expressed hope that Dorimon’s approach could serve as a model for other councils in the region.
The council’s endorsement signals a significant move toward gender equity in Ghana’s traditional governance structures, potentially setting a precedent for similar reforms across the country.
