President Mahama reaffirms his commitment to closing the northern infrastructure deficit

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to closing the northern infrastructure deficit, describing peace and reliable public infrastructure as the vital twin engines to unlock private investment and create sustainable jobs for the area’s youth.

Speaking during a courtesy call by a delegation of revered chiefs from the Dagbon Traditional Area, led by the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Naa Yakubu II, on Monday October 19, the President said his government remains an open, listening partner dedicated to consolidating stability and speeding regional transformation.

“Our fundamental responsibility as a government is to foster a safe, peaceful, and enabling environment—encouraging dialogue at every turn and ensuring that every single community feels protected and valued,” he declared.

The visit to the seat of government was to officially convey the gratitude of the chiefs and people of Dagbon to the President and the state for their support during the illness, funeral rites, and burial of the late Overlord, Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II, and for the smooth peaceful enskinment of the Regent.

Reaffirming the state’s reverence for traditional governance, President Mahama assured the delegation that his administration would not interfere in chieftaincy affairs.

“The peace of Dagbon is priceless, and we must safeguard it deliberately through our words, policies, and shared respect for one another. The Government holds the customs, sacred traditions, and institutions of Dagbon in the highest esteem. It will always provide the dignity, space, and institutional support you require to lead your people.”

President Mahama paid a tribute to the memory of the late Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II, remembering him as a beloved father figure, a trusted personal friend, and a visionary peacemaker who restored harmony across the ancient kingdom.

Encouraging the Regent to follow in his father’s footsteps, President Mahama charged him to apply wisdom, broad consultation, and inclusivity.

“Your noble father was a bridge-builder of remarkable vision. You have pledged not only to preserve the bridges he painstakingly built, but to construct new ones during your stewardship. Government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with you on this journey.”

President Mahama announced major socio-economic interventions to modernise the region’s basic utilities. This includes an EU-financed water expansion project to build piped water networks across Tamale, Yendi, and Damongo, and an immediate boost to the Dalong waterworks with brand-new heavy-duty pumps that will be fully operational next month. This will offer immediate, substantial relief to Tamale’s municipal water supply.

These strategic investments are designed to solve long-standing utility challenges, lower the cost of living and doing business, and lay the groundwork for agro-industrial expansion in the region.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Regent, Kampakuya Naa Yakubu II, pledged to let his late father’s legacy of tolerance and progress remain his guiding light.

He expressed the Kingdom’s unwavering readiness to partner proactively with the central government to unlock youth entrepreneurship, protect communal peace, and steer Dagbon into a new era of shared economic dignity.