Big pay for Chiefs- Prez Mahama assures

President John Dramani Mahama on Monday said the government would further review the monthly allowances of chiefs and make them mobile and comfortable to execute their traditional roles.

He also pledged to support the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs to develop alternative dispute resolutions that is more amicable and less costly.


President Mahama said this when members of the standing Committee of the National House of Chiefs called on him at the Castle, Osu.


The members were at the Castle to congratulate President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on their electoral victory in 2012 election and their subsequent investiture as President and Vice President.


The members, who were made up of representatives from all the 10 regional houses of chiefs, also took the opportunity to drum home some of the challenges that had over the years impeded their orderly progress in the country.


President Mahama said although the government had recently reviewed their allowances, which moved from GHC 80.00 to GHC150.00, further reviews would be made to make the allowances meaningful.

He said the decision by the Regional House of Chiefs to use alternative dispute resolution was laudable and the government would provide all the necessary support that would enhance their performance.


President Mahama also promised to map out strategies to admit Queen Mothers into various houses as soon his set of ministers and other members of the executive were put in place.


He called for an effective and efficient ways of administering land to avoid disputes that discourage investors.


The President gave the assurance that government would, through the Land Administration Project, streamline the acquisition and use of land to avoid perennial and regional land and chieftaincy disputes.


Naa Professor John Nabila, Wulugu Naba and President of the National House of Chiefs, commended the government for nominating Dr H.S Danaa as Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs and said House would work closely with him.

He appealed to the government to support the House to complete all their abandoned projects dotted round the country to enable chiefs to comfortably execute their duties in their traditional areas.


Naa Prof Nabila appealed to President Mahama to establish rapport with chiefs in all the regions in order to gain first hand information on the challenges and strengths that could spur on their developmental agenda.


The Greater Accra and Volta Regional Houses of Chiefs also called on him to congratulate and pledge their support to President Mahama.