President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his commitment to equitable national development following an engagement with the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.

During a courtesy call led by Nene Sakite II, the president outlined government’s ongoing efforts to operationalise the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (UEAS) at Bunso, describing it as a key step in expanding access to specialised higher education.

He noted that renewed investor confidence driven by what he described as improving macroeconomic conditions, has positioned the country to accelerate infrastructure development and economic growth.

“We are meeting all our debt obligations. Inflation is down, the currency has appreciated, and we have a relatively stable macroeconomic environment. The economy is more resilient and is withstanding external shocks arising from the Middle East conflict. We are reaching important milestones and remain focused,” President Mahama said.

He added that following the successful completion of the IMF bailout programme, government intends to sustain strict fiscal discipline to preserve economic stability.

Despite these gains, the president acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly in job creation. He stressed the need for increased private sector investment and agricultural expansion to absorb the growing number of unemployed youth.

“Government alone cannot absorb the numbers, so we must prioritise industrialisation and agriculture as key employment drivers,” he stated.

President Mahama further explained that the uncapping of the District Assembly Common Fund — allowing Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to retain up to 80 percent of their allocations will enable local authorities to invest in initiatives such as 24-hour economy markets to stimulate growth.

On healthcare, he highlighted the benefits of the recently launched Free Primary Healthcare initiative, which is designed to complement the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (MahamaCares), alongside ongoing expansion of health infrastructure.

The president also assured the chiefs that work on the Eastern Regional Hospital project will resume.

“The Eastern Regional Hospital stalled for a while, but I have directed the contractor to return to site. We will ensure payment so the project can be completed,” he said, adding that sod will soon be cut for three new hospital projects in the newly created regions.

In his remarks, Nene Sakite II commended the president for what he described as progress made so far and expressed appreciation for ongoing development projects in the region.

“We are taking note of the work being done around us, and we are greatly appreciative. We hope the momentum will be sustained,” he said, expressing optimism that the engagement would strengthen collaboration between government and traditional authorities.

Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and other senior government officials were present at the meeting.