President Mahama directs chiefs and assemblies to jointly monitor projects
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry of Local Government to develop a system for traditional rulers and district assemblies to jointly monitor government development projects within their communities.
The President said the arrangement would allow chiefs, district chief executives, and assembly officials to regularly inspect roads, schools, hospitals, and other public projects in their traditional areas and districts.
“There should be regular coordination meetings, project monitoring mechanisms where the district assemblies, district chief executives, and the traditional rulers physically go to the site of development projects to review the state of work and monitor the progress,” President Mahama said.
He said the move could help address public concerns over projects that are announced but delayed, abandoned, or left unfinished.
“One of the greatest frustrations of our people is the gap between projects that are announced and projects that are completed, between funds allocated and value delivered,” he said when members of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs called on him at the Presidency in Accra on Friday [May 15, 2026].
His statement followed a request by the chiefs for a stronger role in government development programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, the Bimbilla Naa said traditional authorities were ready to support project implementation, community mobilisation and conflict resolution linked to development activities.
“We come to offer partnership, not just to present petitions,” he said.
The chiefs proposed the formation of joint monitoring committees involving traditional authorities and technical officers to supervise projects, resolve land disputes, and help verify completed works before commissioning.
Responding to the proposal, President Mahama said traditional authorities remained one of Ghana’s most underused governance institutions despite their influence in local communities.
“No government can successfully implement its development agenda in our communities without the cooperation and partnership of the traditional authorities,” he said.
