NAPO Promises To Empower Chiefs To Contribute More To Ghana's Development

• New Patriotic Party running mate Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has pledged to empower traditional rulers to promote national development
• According to him, traditional authorities contribute significantly to the development of Ghana and future NPP government would ensure that contribution is amplified
• He urged Ghanaians to vote for him to serve with responsibility, humility and integrity

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has urged royal authorities in traditional areas across the country to use their positions of power for the benefit of the people they preside over.

According to him, being born into royalty is being born into service to the people you preside over and not vice versa.

He said this mantra has informed his decision throughout his political career, and has urged Ghanaians to give NPP the nod in the upcoming December 7 polls to take on the mantle of leadership in the country’s next government.

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Both Dr Prempeh and Dr Bawumia are members of royal families.

According to Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, when given the nod, he will serve the Ghanaian citizenry with responsibility, humility and integrity.

He said this during a meeting with the Paramount Chief of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Kwadwo Yeboah Gyamfi, where he sought the ruler’s blessings as he embarked on his political venture.

During the July 25, 2024, meeting, Dr Prempeh said the roles of chiefs in Ghana’s socio-political sphere cannot be understated and that a future NPP government would empower both chieftaincy and religious institutions to contribute significantly to governance in Ghana.

The New Juaben Paramount Chief, Nana Kwadwo Yeboah Gyamfi, wished NAPO well on his political venture.

He stated that it is the running mate’s hard work, commitment and dedication to service that earned him the trust of the NPP flagbearer and the party to select him as running mate.

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Nana Yeboah Gyamfi urged NAPO to complete all unfinished projects started by the current government and ensure an end to the galamsey menace that has left many rivers endangered.

The inclusion of chiefs in politics

Both the Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh have been emphasising the role of chiefs in governance, and the need to empower them to do more for the country.

In an interview with YEN.com.gh, political analyst, Dr Jonathan Asante Otchere, described the move as a commendable one.

He explained that the involvement of chiefs in politics, not partisan politics, is good policy directive.

He explained that chiefs act as the custodians of the country’s lands, and mineral resources are embedded in these lands meaning they cannot be left out of the governance paradigm in the country.

"And so it is prudent if we involve them. But to the extent of their involvement will probably be decided by the policy initiative,” he said.

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He, however, raised concern about how such an initiative would be implemented and which chiefs would be involved.

“So we have chiefs that are educated and chiefs that are uneducated. Now which ones would you involve and which ones would you not?

"And is it just going to be just a carpet statement or a blanket kind of policy that would just be given to the chiefs to partake? I think that in itself is equally problematic other than that it is a good proposition,” he said.

But Dr Otchere believes recent promises to give chiefs more power in governance is mere propaganda to woo chiefs to support the said candidates.

Bawumia promises to pay traditional rulers

YEN.com.gh reported that the New Patriotic Party's flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, says his future government would pay chiefs and their queen mothers a living allowance.

He said the current salary being enjoyed by chiefs is not enough to support the work they do at the traditional level.

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He said to ensure a stronger traditional institution he would also increase the powers of chiefs to resolve conflicts among others.

Source: YEN.com.gh