Members of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs have praised the Vice-President and NPP Flagbearer, Mahamudu Bawumia, for being the first dignitary and non-member of Asanteman to visit them.

They said this when Dr. Bawumia and his campaign team visited the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs in Kumasi yesterday.

Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, the Occupant of the Silver Stool of Asanteman, on behalf of Otumfuor Osei Tutu II, stated: “We hold you in high esteem, and we are delighted to have you. You are the first dignitary and non-member of Asanteman to visit the Ashanti Region House of Chiefs, and to have our Queen mothers seated before 9 am,” Daasebre Osei Bonsu said.

Addressing the chiefs, Dr. Bawumia traced the history of the NPP and the linkage between the party and the contributions of various traditional leaders, especially from the Ashanti Region and the Manhyia Palace. He said he had been very lucky to have gained enough political experience from the leadership of former President Kufuor and current President Nana Akufo-Addo.

This, according to him,  is what has positioned him to be adequately prepared to assume political leadership of the country from next year.

He enumerated various initiatives and policies introduced by the present government of which he played a pivotal role.

He said about 18 million Ghanaians had so far acquired their Ghana Cards, translating into 85 percent of the Ghanaian adult population. He mentioned that, already, children at birth can have both birth certificates and their Ghana Card numbers fused together.

Dr. Bawumia said with the introduction of the Free Senior High School programme, Ghana had achieved beyond the anticipated boy-girl parity at the second cycle educational system.

The Vice-President assured the chiefs that his government, if elected, will amend the Chieftaincy Act to give some powers to chiefs to summon erring subjects. He said he would also ensure an upward review of their allowance while  extending the payment beyond paramount chiefs to those next in hierarchy.

The NPP Flagbearer, as part of his quest to lead the country, has been touring the country with his “Bold Solutions for the Future” as the theme for the campaign, and he had already covered 15 regions, so far.

On his first day in the Region, he met with the Clergy and Muslim leaders in Kumasi Central Mosque.

The NPP flagbearer concluded the first day of his campaign activities at the True Vine Hotel with meetings with various professional bodies, including the Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Bar Association, Ghana Journalists Association, University Teachers Association of Ghana, Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers and Coalition of Concerned Teachers.

The rest were the Ghana Institute of Architects, Ghana Institute of Engineers, Ghana Institute of Surveyors, Ghana Association of Society of Medical Physics, Nurses and Midwifery Association, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ghana and the Ghana Institute of Planning.