The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced plans to introduce “living allowances” for traditional leaders.

He says this incentive package is to support their roles as custodians of tradition and culture while enhancing collaborative governance efforts between traditional authorities and government institutions.

Explaining the rationale behind this proposal, Dr. Bawumia said that chieftaincy plays a pivotal role in shaping societal values.

As such, the Vice President believes it is essential to empower chiefs financially to effectively carry out their responsibilities without worrying about personal economic constraints.

"Today, paramount chiefs are paid GHs1,000. It is not going anywhere, it cannot even buy enough fuel to attend meetings. My manifesto team has looked at all this and we are saying that we have to pay living allowances to paramount chiefs, and not stop there but to the divisional chiefs and the queen mothers so that we can have a complete chieftaincy institution that is empowered to help government."

He stated that if elected President, his government would empower chiefs financially to execute their mandates.

• Read also: Bawumia advocates equity stake in lands as solution to illegal mining crisis

Dr. Bawumia spoke at an engagement with the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs to kick-start his three-day tour in the region.

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs, Daasebre Osei Bonsu, has acknowledged Dr. Bawumia for his work.

He said that the Vice President is held in high esteem by chiefs and queen mothers.

Earlier, Dr. Bawumia proposed granting equity stakes in mineral resources to traditional leaders within the respective jurisdictions.

He says this will be a major solution to tackling illegal mining activities across the country.

According to the Vice President, the involvement of traditional leaders in land management, in collaboration with their district assemblies, can serve as a deterrent to illegal miners who often exploit loopholes in regulatory systems.

He believes that giving chiefs an equity stake will incentivize them to protect their lands from degradation and promote sustainable mining practices.

"The resource whether it's a gold mine or whatever, when we find gold in your area, then you have a stake in it, an equity stake, the district assembly has an equity stake. Once you have an equity stake, you will not allow the land to be misused.