Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), emphasized during his campaign tour at the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs in Techiman on Friday (10 May) that he intends to enhance the authority of chiefs by reviewing the country’s Chieftaincy Act if elected as president.
He expressed his concern over the current limitations faced by traditional authorities in Ghana.
The most important thing is that, in our government system, since independence, one of the areas where we have not done well is that we have sidelined chiefs for far too long. The powers of chiefs in governance have gone down, that is why I want to rearrange and review section 63(D) of the Chieftaincy Act to give more powers to the chiefs.
He mentioned that there were numerous pending cases in the judicial system that could have been resolved by chiefs if they had the authority. He assured them that once he assume the presidency, he will grant them the necessary powers and allocate the required financial resources.
Additionally, Dr Bawumia pledged to increase the allowances of all chiefs, ensuring they receive a livable stipend.
So when I become president, I will give you the powers and equip you with the needed financial resources.