President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to respect chiefs and traditional leaders for their crucial role as custodians of lands and contribution to overall national progress and development.

He said chiefs were noted to be people who carried their responsibilities out of experience and with dignity and respect to promote community and societal development.

“Our communities should be presided and controlled by chiefs and we must experience that in all parts of our country,” President Mahama said when he addressed chiefs, opinion leaders and other traditional rulers at the final funeral rites of the late Alhaji Mahama Salifu on Sunday in Accra.

The late Alhaji Salifu, who was the Greater Accra Chief of the Gonja Community and President of the Council of Muslim Chiefs, died on April 28, 2013 in Accra.

President Mahama said elsewhere in the country and the world, there had been numerous chieftaincy conflicts and even sometimes intra-religious conflicts, but chiefs and religious leaders in Ghana had demonstrated greater tolerance and understanding.

He expressed confidence that Ghana would continue to grow and develop because of the chieftaincy and religious tolerance.

A tribute read by Chief Issahak Suleiman, Chief of the Moshe Community in Accra, said the late Ahaji Salifu’s services “were not limited to Gonja’s alone but extended his help and support to all ethnic groups in Accra, particularly those from the three northern regions.

“Chief Salifu Mahama was very patient and courteous person, an advocate of peace, harmony and unity,” The tribute said.

Chief Suleiman said the late Alhaji Salifu was among Muslim chiefs who helped to bring peace between the northern chiefs in Accra and that his dedication, selflessness, modesty and empathy, care and consideration won him the respect of many important people in society.

The Moshie Community Chief urged the present generation of Muslim chiefs to continue to pray for the founding fathers of the Muslim Chiefs Council, who struggled to bring the ethnic groups together to pursue a common agenda.

He said the Council of Zongo chiefs assured all ethnic groups that the vision and mission of the founding fathers would not be allowed to die.

Prayers were said for President Mahama and the nation.

The funeral brought members of the entire political divide and the Gonja community sub chiefs from Ashaiman, Tema and other communities in the Greater Accra Region together.