Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has assured the Mamprugu Traditional Council and the public that his personal ties to the traditional area will not compromise his neutrality, fairness, or objectivity in office.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Ayariga addressed a petition filed by the Mamprugu Traditional Council, which raised questions regarding his suitability to oversee sensitive chieftaincy and local governance matters given his connections to the area.
Clarifying the nature of his bond with the region, Ayariga explained that his connection is purely heritage-based rather than political. He shared that his mother is Mamprusi, emphasizing that the values instilled in him by his maternal family during his formative years would guide his commitment to public integrity.
”My mother is a Mamprusi, and they are my uncles, and they are partly responsible for my upbringing and training me,” Ayariga told the committee. “If I fail in this new job, then it means that there is a defect in the way they have trained me. I will vindicate them by living up to their expectations.”
Addressing the Overlord of Mamprugu directly, he added, “I can promise my grandfather, the Nayiri, that in my capacity as Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, I will definitely live up to his expectations.”
Ayariga assured the committee that, if confirmed, he will apply strict impartiality to all ministerial matters, ensuring no traditional or personal affiliation influences his executive decisions while serving the nation as a whole.
Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
