He has also called on election stakeholders to increase visibility in the constituency to deter any unscrupulous individuals who may attempt to steal ballot boxes.

Nii Amarkai III made the call during a visit from Manye Naakyei Dode Akabi, the Paramount Queen Mother of Obutu/Awutu, at JamesTown.

The occasion also allowed the queen mother to take the oath of allegiance to the Asere Stool.

It was attended by other queen mothers and traditional leaders.

The constituency is known as one of the hotspots during elections in the country.

While urging Ghanaians not to sell their votes as the nation approached the polls, Nii Amarkai III also called on politicians to refrain from the practice of vote buying.

He stressed the need for laws to be implemented to deter vote selling and encouraged voters to prioritize issues when making their decisions at the polls.

Nii Amarkai III stressed the need for traditional rulers to educate their subjects to avoid fighting while casting their votes. “Voting is not fighting; voting is to exercise your right to choose leaders to lead the country to develop.

“The Electoral Commission should provide adequate security and a lighting system to prevent people from running away with ballot boxes,” he said.

Regarding the rise in chieftaincy disputes, Nii Amarkai III urged traditional rulers to adhere to family succession plans in the installation of chiefs and other leaders.

He condemned the monetization of chieftaincy and the interference of some politicians in chieftaincy institutions, stating that such actions created confusion and tension in the country.

Nii Amarkai III urged the government to ensure that beggars, particularly foreign nationals who have taken to the streets of Accra, are removed from the area. “In some French countries, you will not see people begging on the Streets but in Accra we encourage all kinds of things on the streets.”

Nii Amarkai III announced that following the ceremony in JamesTown, the queen mother would be registered and become a member of the Queen Mothers Association of Ghana.

He noted that she had significant work ahead of her, as her area faced numerous challenges, including a lack of accessible roads and potable water. Manye Naakyei Dode Akabi told journalists that the people of Ayawaso were in urgent need of basic social amenities, such as good roads and potable water.

She appealed to the government to assist in constructing a modern market and building accessible roads in the area.

The queen mother pledged to focus on empowering women, particularly widows, in her community and also emphasized her commitment to supporting orphans.

Professor Prosper Laari, the National Coordinator, GPSNP2, said the social protection programme which had its beneficiaries selected from the beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme aims to provide income earning opportunities for poor households, particularly during the agricultural off-season, to help them meet their household expenses and provide start-ups for the vulnerable to establish micro-enterprises and improve agriculture productivity.

He said each of the beneficiaries who received capacity building training to manage their activities would also be given US$300.00 dollars in two tranches to support local innovations and enterprises.

“The programme will end in December 2025, so we need to work together to ensure that beneficiaries receive grants and accompanying support to enable them expand their enterprises and smoothen household consumption and it is gratifying to note that, to date, a little over 8,500 persons out of a target of 10,000 have been selected to benefit from the urban CLASS programme”, he added.

Mr. Desmond Duametu, a Productive Specialist, GPSNP2, urged the beneficiaries to take their investments seriously to improve their lives and create jobs.

Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper East Regional Minister, commended the government and World Bank for the project and urged the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure it succeeded in contributing to reducing poverty.