TALENSI-NABDAM ASSEMBLY HOLDS MEETING (PAGE 23)

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Tongo

THE Talensi-Nabdam District in the Upper East Region mobilised GH¢37,104.75 from its internally generated source of revenue in 2007, representing 79.17 per cent of its projected target of GH¢46, 866.
The acting District Chief Executive (DCE), Mrs Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, made this known at the first ordinary meeting of the second session of the assembly this year at Tongo.
Mrs Chigabatia, who is also the Deputy Regional Minister, stated that approval had been given for the recruitment of seven honest, dedicated and hard working people as revenue collectors to help improve the financial situation of the assembly.
She said during the year under review, the assembly received GH¢293,000 under the Canadian International Development Agency/District Wide Assistant Project for the construction of two sets of projects in the district.
According to Mrs Chigabatia, one set of the projects amounting to GH¢49,000 was for the provision of structures in areas affected by the recent floods, which` include the Yameriga and Zanlerigu primary schools and the Shia community clinic.
She said the construction of the Tongo Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation System under the Community Water and Sanitation Programme was progressing steadily.
The acting DCE gave the assurance that very soon, residents of Tongo and its environs would enjoy potable water in their homes.
She expressed concern about the delay of contractors working on various projects in the district, and appealed to them to do the right thing or have their contracts terminated.
Meanwhile, members of the District Assembly have appealed to the government to rename the Bolgatanga Senior High School (SHS), Winkongo SHS.
The assembly member for Winkongo, who moved the motion, said the continuous use of the name Bolgatanga SHS long after the creation of the Talensi-Nabdam District, was causing agitation among the people of the area on whose land the school is built.
He said the school was originally started on the premises of Zuarungu Middle Boarding School in 1970 but was later moved to Winkongo under the name Winkongo Secondary Technical School.
According to him, in 1974 when the school was about to be inaugurated, the name of the school was changed to Bolgatanga Secondary School without any consultation with the chiefs and opinion leaders.
 Mr Aduko said the motion had become necessary because there had been agitation from the chiefs for the reversal of the name of the school.
Commenting on the issue, the Member of Parliament for Talensi, Mr John Tia, said the argument that the school was a regional one “fell flat on the face” because there were similar regional schools which bore the name of the communities in which they were located.
He, therefore, added his voice to calls for the re-naming of the school.
When the matter was later put to vote, 28 assembly members out of the 30 present, voted in favour of the motion with none voting against while two members abstained.
 Mr Tia later commended the assembly members for their corporation and entreated them to work as a team to enhance the development of the area.