Mamaga Dr Tsyrawa IV, the Paramount Queenmother of the Have Traditional Area in the Afadzato South District, has been elected President of the Volta Regional House of Queenmothers.
She officially assumed office on October 8, 2026, following her successful election in June this year.
In her acceptance speech, Mamaga Dr Tsyrawa expressed profound gratitude to her fellow queenmothers for the confidence and trust reposed in her.
She noted that she was deeply honoured and humbled by the opportunity to lead, emphasising that the presidency was not merely a title, but a sacred responsibility to foster unity, cooperation, peace, cultural preservation, and development across the Volta Region.
Pledging to lead with a spirit of mutual respect and inclusiveness, the newly elected President called on all queen mothers to join hands with her to build a stronger, more united, and highly effective Regional House.
Mamaga Dr Tsyrawa reaffirmed her readiness to support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of women, children, families, and communities.
She promised to work closely with the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, traditional councils, government institutions, development partners, and key stakeholders to advance the region’s broader interests.
Togbega Saklavo X, the Paramount Chief of the Goviefe Traditional Area, who represented the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, commended Mamaga Dr Tsyrawa on her ascension to the presidency.
He urged the queenmothers to establish mechanisms to address indecent dressing among young girls, describing the growing trend of public exposure as an eyesore that contradicts traditional values.
Professor Lydia Aziato, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), implored the queenmothers to foster absolute unity across all paramountcies in the region.
She encouraged them to actively write proposals to secure financial support for community development and girls’ empowerment initiatives.
Professor Aziato also made an appeal to the Volta Regional House of Chiefs to allocate at least two seats to queenmothers to ensure their inclusion in high-level decision-making processes.
Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe, the Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, highlighted the inauguration as a pivotal moment for the queenmothers to renew their commitment to women’s rights, child protection, and inclusive development.
Describing queenmothers as custodians of culture, peacebuilders, and influential agents of social change, Mrs Kpe emphasised that their voices are critical in strengthening education, healthcare, livelihoods, and community accountability.
Mrs Kpe outlined several priority issues affecting women and girls in the region, including the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV), defilement, child marriage, and sexual exploitation.
She strongly advocated for survivor-centred referral systems and formal legal reporting, urging an end to the private settlement of criminal offences.
Additional priorities she highlighted included the promotion of girls’ education, menstrual and reproductive health, positive parenting, women’s access to land and finance, and protection against discriminatory norms and online abuse.
The Regional Director urged the House to champion the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), which provided a legal framework for increasing women’s representation in public decision-making.
Mrs Kpe noted that queen mothers are uniquely positioned to lead grassroots sensitisation, partner with the Department of Gender and local assemblies, and mentor women for leadership roles.
She charged the newly elected executive body to advocate for women’s meaningful participation in traditional councils, strengthen GBV referral networks, and build a transparent, united, and accountable association.
