He acknowledged that the previous NDC government was aware of the development shortfalls of the area, and by extension the Ketu South Municipality, and promised to address those shortfalls when back in office.

Mr Mahama said this during the grand durbar of the chiefs and people of Aflao on Saturday as part of activities to climax this year’s Godigbe Festival. The festival was put on hold for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s celebration coincided with the 25th anniversary of the coronation of the Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area, Torgbuiga Amenya Fiti V.

Mr Mahama said Aflao, being the most prominent border town in Ghana, required a facelift for a better outlook.

“I had talks with our prominent Paramount Chief, Torgbuiga Amenya Fiti, when I was in office. In fact, we had agreed that due to the strategic location of Aflao as the most prominent border town in the country, there should be a modern market on the Aflao side just as with our counterparts on other side in Lome,” he said.

The former President decried the deplorable state of the town’s roads, especially the Aflao-Diamond Cement Road and the Komla Dumor Road, which lead to the Chief’s Palace.

He said the Ho-Aflao road must also be given urgent attention by the Government of the day.

Mr Mahama emphasised the importance of the chieftaincy institution as a repository of Ghana’s traditions and customs, playing a pivotal role in advocacy and national development.

He commended Torgbuiga Fiti on his election as the President of the Forum of Kings and Traditional Rulers of Africa and urged him to use that high recognition to do more for his people and the country.

Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister of the Interior, who represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the government is committed to improving the well-being of every Ghanaian.

The country had some setbacks in its bid to accelerate development and better the lot of the masses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, he said.

“These brought in untold hardships across the globe, but the Government of Ghana is hopeful that things will turn around with its sound economic policies and programmes. We assure Ghanaians of better days ahead,” he said.

Torgbuiga Fiti, under whose auspices the festival was held, called on the Government to implement pro-poor programmes to improve the living conditions of the people. Due to the lack of job opportunities, some of the youth “engage in smuggling and other unorthodox activities just to earn a living,” he said, a called for a change of the status quo. He commended his divisional and sub-chiefs and all indigenes of Aflao for their loyalty over the years and called for fellow feeling and togetherness as “we work together toward the forward march of our dear traditional area.”

He expressed appreciation to all corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals who supported the festival. The festival was on the theme: “25 Years of Inspirational Leadership and the Restoration of the Rights and Privileges of the Aflawuawo.”