President Mahama promises to expand Ghana’s decentralization

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday hinted that his administration would allocate ample time to deepen grassroots decentralization which the late President Mills embarked upon.

He said although the decentralization programme was implemented some years back, some of the grassroots structures were still weak and therefore needed massive support to befit their status as political structures.

President Mahama made this observation when members of five Regional Houses Chiefs called on him at the Castle, Osu to commiserate with him on the death of  President Mills and to congratulate him on his taking up the responsibility as the President of the Republic.

The Chiefs who were from the Eastern, Central, Greater Accra, Volta and Western Regions were all unanimous in expressing their willingness to cooperate with President Mahama to carry out his mandate as President of Ghana.

President Mahama said deepening the decentralization programme would also integrate chiefs, who would offer useful information concerning the needs of the people, acquisition of land and how to avoid conflicts in the implementation of government policies and projects.

He said the peaceful transition that followed the death of President Mills had further raised the democratic credentials of Ghana in the international community and called on Ghanaians to maintain that sense of unity in the December polls.

Nene Abraham Kabu Akuoku III, Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional Area, who spoke on behalf of the Greater Accra Region House of Chiefs  enumerated some of late President Mills’ achievements as the creation of new districts, constructing the Ada sea defence wall, construction of roads and provision of water projects.

Other chiefs who spoke on behalf of their regions included Okutwansuo Orae Agyekum I for Eastern Region, Dasebere Kwebu Awusi I for Centra Region and Togbe Afede XIV for the Volta Region.

Source: GNA