THE Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, has announced a 300 per cent increase in the allowances for paramount chiefs and queen mothers across the country.

He stated that these allowances, which had not been increased for several years, were currently under review by the Minister for Finance, stressing that the increment was intended to take effect immediately to enable chiefs and queen mothers to carry out their traditional duties without financial constraints.

The Minister, who made this announcement yesterday during a courtesy visit to the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs in Dodowa, a suburb of Accra, said the increment was in fulfilment of the President’s promise, made during the 2024 general election campaign, to increase their allowances.

Mr Ibrahim was accompanied by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo; the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mrs Rita Naa Odoley Sowah; and other senior officials of the Ministry.

Mr Ibrahim said the government was committed to partnering with traditional leaders to improve the welfare of citizens and the economy of the country. He pledged that the government would do even more to enhance their living conditions.

He explained that the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs was one of the government’s strategic ministries established to strengthen integration between traditional leadership and modern local governance systems.

“Government recognises the powerful truth that development at the local level cannot succeed without the active participation of our traditional authorities. Our chiefs, as custodians of our lands, culture and values, remain the first point of contact for conflict resolution, community mobilisation and the preservation of peace,” he said.

“The Ministry seeks to harness the efforts of traditional authorities to advance sustainable development. This integration ensures that issues affecting traditional and religious leaders are well managed for the betterment of the country,” Mr Ibrahim added.

He appealed to traditional leaders to partner with the Ministry to ensure that the National Sanitation Day (NSD) exercise was effectively observed at all local levels, stressing that the initiative aimed to instil a culture of cleanliness and civic responsibility among citizens.

Mr Ibrahim explained that NSD plays a crucial role in raising awareness of environmental sanitation and hygiene across the country, and urged all stakeholders to support and participate actively.

The President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Oboade Nortse King Odaifio Welentsi III, who thanked the government for the increment, also called on it to help resolve the numerous chieftaincy disputes in the region.

He further appealed to the government to provide financial assistance and logistics to the House to enable it to address chieftaincy matters smoothly.

He stressed that, although the House appreciated the government’s support to the various security agencies, similar assistance should be extended to traditional leaders to ensure peace and order.

King Odaifio Welentsi III also appealed to the Regional Security Council to investigate and bring to justice perpetrators who engage in shootings and violence during the Homowo festival in Osu and other parts of the region.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, noted that the visit was to familiarise the team with the activities of the House and discuss national issues of concern, adding that all matters raised would be addressed accordingly.

She said issues of chieftaincy in the region demand urgent attention and assured the Ministry’s commitment to help resolve them amicably, adding that her door remained open for strategic collaboration and peaceful resolution.