Chairman for the Council of Paramount Chiefs, PC Fasuluku Sonsiama III said that his peers want more powers to maintain law and order in Sierra Leone.

Chief Sonsiama III said they are seeking for more statutory powers in order to help restore law and order in their localities.

In a speech to President Julius Maada Bio, Chief Fasuluku urged authorities to restore and add more statutory powers to the local courts.

“The statutory functions to bring law and order in our respective chiefdoms had been taken away from us,” Chief Fasuluku told Politico.

The Paramount Chief said if the powers are given to them, it will lead to a reduction of lawlessness in their various localities.

He mentioned the importance of traditional heads in solving disputes among the local population.

He said the local courts have been under the Sierra Leone Judiciary for over a decade now but stressed that funds are not provided for them.

There are over 150 chiefdoms in Sierra Leone.

The role of Paramount Chiefs has been reduced to that of a ceremonial one over the years.