The president of the Volta House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, has bemoaned the frustration and misery among Ghanaians due to bad economic policies.

This, according to him, is evidenced in the increase in suicide rate among the youth and also their exodus in search of greener pastures elsewhere.

Addressing the Volta regional House of chiefs in the presence of the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo—Addo on Friday in Ho, Togbe Afede said: “Our people seem to prefer xenophobic isolation in foreign lands. That’s why they’re willing to risk their lives crossing deserts and crossing seas in pursuit of greener pastures."

“The reality is that our people are not happy,” he added, pointing out that “it behooves on us as leaders to focus on wealth creation. We have to create wealth and the process bring our people out of poverty so [that] they have their basic needs and they can be happy and we can have peace and stability.”

On his part, Akufo—Addo expressed optimism that the NPP’s electoral fortunes in the region will improve in the forthcoming December 7 polls.

He said whilst addressing the House of Chiefs that “my breath has been taken away by the exuberance and the enthusiasm of the crowd” as the message of the NPP is being accepted in the region “as well as the rest of the country.”

The party, he told the chiefs is seeking political power simply, to improve the lives of the people. There should be no other reason, he added in asking the mandate of the people.