4 Chiefs, 28 assembly members boycott assembly inauguration

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Paga
17/03/08
THE chiefs and people of Chiana, Kayoro, Katiu and Nakong, as well as their counterparts from the eastern part of the newly created Kassena-Nankana West District in the Upper East Region, boycotted the recent inaugural ceremony of the district.
Their action was in protest against the choice of Paga as the district capital instead of Chiana.
All the 28 elected assembly members from the western and eastern parts of the district also absented themselves from the function in protest against the siting of the capital at Paga.
The new assembly comprises 46 members made up of 32 elected and 14 government appointees. Only 18 out of the 46 assembly members attended the inaugural ceremony.
Despite the boycott, a colourful durbar was held at Paga with heavy military and police representation. The inauguration brought out the best of the rich cultural heritage of the people.
In attendance was the Paramount Chief of Paga, Pe Charles Awampaga, and other divisional and sub-chiefs from the area.
Among the distinguished personalities who witnessed the ceremony was the District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh; the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chiana-Paga, Mr Abuga Pele; the Minister of Energy and MP for Navrongo Central, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda; the DCE for Builsa, Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi; and the National Co-ordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme, Mr Leo Kaba.
Representatives of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment and a number of heads of decentralised departments and agencies also graced the occasion.
In President Kufuor’s inaugural address read on his behalf by the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, he called on the people to work in unity to ensure that absolute peace prevailed, since it was a pre-requisite for development.
“You must allow unity to permeate all your dealings at the individual and collective levels,” he stressed.
President Kufuor urged the assembly to be proactive and performance-oriented, adding that they must come out with innovative ways of generating revenue and improving revenue collection.
Mr Chegeweh said the creation of the new district would accelerate development in the area.
He stated that education, health and agriculture, among other sectors, would see rapid development.
“Employment avenues shall be created in all these sectors for the unemployed, especially the youth, thereby reducing poverty in the area,” Mr Chegeweh said.
On behalf of the chiefs and people of the new district, the DCE expressed appreciation to the President for giving them a new district, which, he said, was a great legacy for which the NPP government would forever be remembered by the people.
To ensure the smooth kick-off of the new assembly, Mr Chegeweh stated that the Paga Town Council offices would be used temporarily as the District Assembly offices while the motel close to the Paga Crocodile Pond was to be rehabilitated and turned into offices for the decentralised departments of the assembly.
On residential accommodation, the DCE said four two-bedroom bungalows and 18 chalets near the Paga Crocodile Pond would be rehabilitated for officers that would be posted to work in the district.
He announced that the government had allocated two vehicles, five tractors and a computer and accessories, and in addition GH¢30,000 had been allocated to the new district to facilitate a smooth kick-off.
Mr Chegeweh called on members of the new district assembly to work in unison, bury all differences and forge ahead in the best interest of the citizens of the area.
A Bolgatanga Circuit Court Judge, Mr Osei Kwame, swore the assembly members in. They took the official oath and the oath of secrecy.