The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli state, Togbe Afede XIV, has advised President John Dramani Mahama to be very cautious of the people around him.

According to him, the mantle President Mahama had inherited was a delicate one which required the best hands on the job. Without this, the chief said, it would be difficult for President Mahama to carry out development people craved for.

He said, “Of course, it requires that you have the best people around you and we pray that God guides you and gives you a very discerning mind, very discerning eyes so you can recognize who your best friends are, because you need them…”

Togbe Afede, who is also the president of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, gave the advice at a grand durbar of chiefs and people of the Volta Region at the Jubilee Park in Ho on Tuesday.

The durbar was part of the president’s ‘thank you tour’ which started last week from the Central to the Western Region.

Togbe Afede also noted that the president needed to be courageous and decisive enough to keep the right people around him “to be able to work towards the aspirations of Ghanaians for peace unity and development”.

“The task ahead of you requires a lot of courage and we pray that God gives it to you in abundance. It requires decisiveness and we pray that God supports you to be decisive enough to bring the development that the people need.”

Togbe Afede commended President Mahama for ensuring a befitting burial for the late president. He also commended the president for his emphasis on peace and urged all Ghanaians to collectively work towards it.

He tasked the president to ensure works on the Eastern Corridor road and the permanent structures of the University of Health and Allied Sciences were expedited.

President Mahama, in his address, commended Voltarians for the overwhelming support during the burial and mourning of the late president.

He also commended them for the rousing welcome and support he received during his ‘thank you tour’.

He revealed that a $240 million loan facility from Brazil had arrived for the eastern corridor road, as well as a $10 million loan for the university in the region. He stressed the need for peace and unity now, before and after the elections to move Ghana forward.

The Volta regional minister, Henry Ford Kamel, highlighted President Mahama’s involvement in sourcing the two facilities for the eastern corridor road and university when he was vice president.

He noted that the president’s tour, although was to thank the people of the region for their support during late President Mills’ death, took him to Dabala, Sogakofe, Srogboe, Anloga and Dzodze where he interacted with the people.

President Mahama made some donations to the affected persons of the tidal waves in Keta and paid a courtesy call on the Awomefia of the Anlo State, Torgbui Sri.

Also at the durbar in Ho were the regional chairman of the NPP, Kenwuud Nuworsu, his secretary Kofi Boateng and a leading member of the NPP, Dauglas Wagba.

The president’s entourage included Koku Anyidoho, Henry Martey Newman, Akua Sena Dansua and Dan Abodakpi, Ghana’s Ambassador to Malaysia.