President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to balanced national development and pledged action on long-stalled infrastructure projects in the Eastern Region, following a courtesy call by the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs at the Presidency on April 22, 2026.
The delegation was led by Nene Sakite II, Paramount Chief of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, and was received in the presence of Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and senior government officials.
President Mahama used the engagement to outline his government’s economic scorecard, pointing to declining inflation, a stabilised currency, and improved investor confidence as indicators that the economy is recovering on solid footing. He said Ghana has met its debt obligations under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and intends to maintain strict fiscal discipline following the bailout’s completion to preserve the macroeconomic stability achieved.
He acknowledged that despite the gains, youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge and said government alone cannot absorb the numbers entering the labour market. He called for expanded private sector investment, industrialisation, and growth in agriculture as the primary routes to job creation.
On local governance, the President pointed to the uncapping of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) as a tool for driving regional development, noting that metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) retaining 80 percent of their allocations can now channel funds into projects such as 24-hour economy markets.
Among the most concrete commitments made during the engagement was a pledge to restart construction of the Eastern Regional Hospital, which the President acknowledged had stalled. He said he had directed the contractor to return to site and that payments would be made to ensure completion. He also announced plans to cut the sod for three new hospital projects serving the newer regions.
President Mahama also updated the chiefs on progress toward operationalising the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (UEAS) at Bunso in the Eastern Region. The government confirmed earlier this month that a $92 million financing arrangement had been secured with a Korean contractor to advance the project, which had previously stalled under the prior administration due to payment disputes.
He also highlighted the recently launched Free Primary Health Care policy, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCares, and ongoing health facility expansion as complementary measures to improve healthcare access nationwide.
Nene Sakite II expressed appreciation for the development activities ongoing in the region and said the chiefs were taking note of the work being done. “We are hoping that work will continue till the end,” he said.
