An Abandoned Project?

Abstract

The present Sambujat chief deals with the Senegalese civil authorities. He passes on information, collects taxes and coordinates the occasional regional services provided by government agencies... He also sees to it that villagers inscribe their children in school. During the last decades as the Senegalese State attempts to bring extension services into the countryside, government agents have relied upon the chief to help settle local disputes over land and cattle when these interfere with the government's mission. In addition, if there is a particularly violent fight in the community, the chief might call in the police. But by and large the chief is a civil servant and not a local authority in internal matters (Linares 1992: 42-43). But while the Colonial Government took away the power of the traditional rulers and gave them authority in local administration, the Governments of Ghana have generally taken away their authority, except in matters that concern the traditional rulers themselves... Payment of officials of the traditional rulers' offices has been made necessary as a result of Government laws that have taken away the traditional rulers'