Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has lauded Yaa Naa Abukari, the Overlord of Dagbon and President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, and the chiefs and people of Dagbon for the prevailing peace in the Northern Region. The President gave the commendation during a courtesy visit paid on him by Members of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs at the Presidency in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, the delegation, led by the Regent and Acting Overlord of Bimbilla Nyelinbolgu Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana II on behalf of Yaa Naa Abukari, visited the Presidency to congratulate President Mahama on his election victory in the 2024 general election. President Mahama commended members of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs for their commitment to peace building and conflict prevention.
President Mahama remarked that Dagbon stands as a powerful symbol that even the most difficult conflict can be resolved through courage, leadership, patience, and collective commitment to peace. He noted that the restoration of peace in Dagbon is one of the proudest examples of what Ghana can achieve when traditional authority, the state's eminent personalities, and communities collaborate in good faith.
He emphasized that the experience in Dagbon should inspire efforts to resolve conflicts in other parts of the country. He stated that Ghana's development cannot be driven from Accra alone and that national transformation must be rooted in communities and anchored in local participation. This is why decentralization, accountability, and citizen engagement remain central pillars of their governance approach, and why Chiefs' proposal for a new partnership model between governments and traditional authority is both welcome and necessary.
President Mahama assured that the government does not see chiefs merely as ceremonial figures to be consulted occasionally. Instead, traditional authorities are viewed as strategic partners in governance, peace building, social mobilization, and development. He highlighted the need for the Reset Agenda of the Government to include resetting the relationship between state institutions and traditional leadership.
President Mahama mentioned that on Thursday, May 15, the Cabinet met to consider the government's response to the Constitutional Review Committee report. He expressed eagerness to see what amendments have been proposed regarding chieftaincy, as he had previously advocated for the National House of Chiefs to be represented in the amendments to the Constitution to give chiefs a greater role in local administration.
The President acknowledged the timely presentation from the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, noting that it would guide the Cabinet when reviewing the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee report. The Regent and Acting Overlord of Bimbilla Nyelinbolgu Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana, on behalf of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, proposed that the government move from occasional consultations with Chiefs to a structured partnership.