President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to inclusive and balanced national development following a high-level engagement with the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.
The meeting, held as part of ongoing consultations with traditional authorities, was led by Nene Sakite II.
During the courtesy call, President Mahama highlighted steady economic progress, pointing to improved macroeconomic stability, declining inflation, a strengthening currency, and Ghana’s ability to meet its debt obligations despite global economic pressures.
The President disclosed that efforts are underway to operationalize the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (UEAS) at Bunso.
He noted that this forms part of broader strategic investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and local governance aimed at driving sustainable development across the country.
A key policy highlighted was the uncapping of the District Assembly Common Fund, which he said enables Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to retain up to 80 percent of their allocations.
According to him, this move is critical to accelerating grassroots development, including the rollout of 24-hour economy markets.
While acknowledging progress made so far, President Mahama emphasized the urgent need to tackle youth unemployment. He underscored the importance of private sector growth, industrialization, and agricultural expansion as central pillars in addressing the challenge.
He further assured the chiefs of government’s commitment to completing the Eastern Regional Hospital project and announced plans to commence three additional hospital projects to improve healthcare access nationwide.
The President also reiterated that flagship interventions such as Free Primary Health Care and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares) remain central to improving the wellbeing of Ghanaians through expanded health infrastructure and social support systems.
President Mahama expressed appreciation for the continued support of traditional authorities, noting that strong collaboration between government and chiefs remains essential to achieving sustainable national development.
CREDIT: Mavis Fantevi
