By Iddi Yire
Accra, June 13, GNA-President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthen the chieftaincy institution in Ghana.
He said beyond infrastructure, the Government was also restoring the dignity and capacity of the traditional chieftaincy institution.
The President gave the assurance during a courtesy call on him at the Presidency in Accra by the Overlord of Dagbon Yaa Naa Abukari II.
The Yaa Naa and his routine of paramount chiefs were at the Presidency to congratulate President Mahama on his resounding victory in the December 7, 2024, general election.
Yaa Naa Abukari’s visit to the Presidency comes on the heels of a similar visit last week by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu and his entourage of paramount chiefs.
President Mahama in his remarks during the Yaa Naa’s visit said the Traditional Leadership Support Fund, created under the 2025 budget, would finance the preservation of royal archives, rehabilitation of palaces, and logistical support for traditional areas, including the Dagbon Traditional Council.
“We recognize that tradition is complementary to development. Tradition is foundational. This government will not sideline traditional rulers.
We will partner with you. We will listen to your wise counsel. We will honour your place in the national architecture of governance,” he said.
President Mahama acknowledged the Yaa Naa’s wise leadership in promoting peace beyond the boundaries of Dagbon.
He noted that the Yaa Naa’s quiet interventions in disputes across Mampusi, Gonja, and the Eastern Corridor had helped reduce tensions and avoid escalation; saying “and Ghana is grateful to you”.
“I remember your visit to your brother, the Yagbonwura,” President Mahama said.
“It was a fraternal visit. I believe it drew our two people, the Gonjas and the Dagombas, together.”
He said as they look ahead, he was confident that Yaa Naa Abukari’s legacy would stand tall, not only as the king who healed Dagbon, but also as a statesman who helped shape a more united Ghana.
“In the coming months, we will work together on commemorating the fifth anniversary of your enskinment, an occasion of national importance, and I pledge the full support of my office to ensure that this celebrating reflects the glory and resilience of your reign,” he said.
“Let us remain united, advance with courage, and uphold the timeless principles that when tradition and modernity co-exist, the nation thrives. As we say in Dagbon, the king’s work creates the path of peace.”
On his part, the Overlord of Dagbon Yaa Naa Abukari said, he was confident that President Mahama’s leadership would usher in an era of unprecedented growth, peace, and prosperity for the great nation.
He said as a traditional leader, this was what they always wish for their people and communities, to live in peace with their neighbors and grow in prosperity.
“Your leadership has already brought a breath of fresh air to our nation and has renewed hope and optimism in the good people of Ghana,” the Overlord of Dagbon said.
He noted the swift action taken to revitalize the nation’s economy and improve the lives of Ghanaians were truly commendable.
The Yaa Naa entreated President Mahama to continue this path of visionary leadership that was prioritizing people-centered policies to ensure that the needs and welfare of Ghanaians remain at the forefront of decision-making.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba