President John Evans Atta Mills has stated that his government will insist that the members of the New Patriotic Party administration account for their period of stewardship in much the same way as his administration expects to be called upon to account for its stewardship and service.
“The fact that a government was booted out of power does not excuse it from failing to account to the people for its stewardship. This is an acceptable norm and we will insist on it to the letter. But we want to do this with regard to due process,” he said.
President Mills made these remarks in Bolgatanga during a grand durbar of the chiefs and people of the Upper East Region to round off his two-day working visit to the region.
Traditional rulers from all the 17 paramountcies in the region, resplendent in their traditional fugu and its accessories, converged on the Golden Jubilee Park, which was equally parked to capacity.
The President explained that in doing so, however, his government would want to make sure that it applied the rule of law, adding that at the end of the day whenever the people gave their decision, nobody would have the opportunity to dispute it.
“It is for the sake of candour, openness and transparency that we let the people know where we are taking over from so that there can always be a point of reference. There is no point in throwing dust into the eyes of the people; the fact must be told,” he said.
He said although he had been in power for only five months, he could say that the signs were good and gave the assurance that his government would not fail Ghanaians because it knew that the promises it made to the citizens were sacred.
On criticisms of his government, President Mills said he wished that within four months he could do what he had promised to do in four years.
“If they knew how to do this, why didn’t they do it in the eight years that they were in power?” he asked.
He promised that under his administration, the development of the Upper East Region would be fast-tracked, insisting that he had a competent team to ensure that those promises were fulfilled.
He said government would improve agriculture in the region through irrigation farming, subsidy on fertilisers, tractor services and other inputs to boost food production.
Touching on his plans for the region, he said a number of interventions had been lined up in the areas of agriculture and infrastructural development, including the rehabilitation of dams.
He said many investors wanted to come into the country, stressing that he knew that the northern regions were a peculiar attraction, hence the setting up of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority.
He, however, said much could not be achieved in an atmosphere of violence and appealed to the people to ensure that peace prevailed.
He expressed the hope that given the numerous interactions he had had with the opinion leaders of Bawku, the problems there would be dealt with.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, disclosed that the Bawku Municipal Assembly, on the advice of the Regional Security Committee (RESEC), was constructing a mini military barracks at Bazua near Bawku to ensure the permanent presence of the military in the area.
He said the project, which started with funding from the assembly and supported by the Regional Co-ordinating Council and some assemblies in the region, had stalled due to inadequate funding and appealed to the President for a special fund to be allocated for the completion of the project
He said the presence of the military in the area would bolster the confidence of the people and help forestall any future breaches of the peace.
The regional minister said the protracted Bawku conflict had left a big scar on the once peaceful region which had become a source of worry to peace-loving people. But he was optimistic and hopeful that a lasting solution would be found for the people of Bawku to live in harmony.
The President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Paga-Pio Pe Awiah Awampaga ll, said the region was peaceful but it could not boast of total peace because of the Bawku conflict, adding that the Regional House of Chiefs was doing its best to finding a lasting solution to the issue.
“Even though we do not doubt the capabilities of the 10-member committee appointed to go into the matter by the regional minister, I will call for your personal intervention. I believe that Ghanaians will appreciate your efforts and will not see it as interfering in chieftaincy matters because we are talking about peace and not who should be a chief,” he said.
The Paga-Pio was grateful to the President for maintaining the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture when he cut down the number of ministries and appealed to him to, in conjunction with the Speaker of Parliament, put in place a committee in Parliament for chieftaincy affairs.
“The fact that a government was booted out of power does not excuse it from failing to account to the people for its stewardship. This is an acceptable norm and we will insist on it to the letter. But we want to do this with regard to due process,” he said.
President Mills made these remarks in Bolgatanga during a grand durbar of the chiefs and people of the Upper East Region to round off his two-day working visit to the region.
Traditional rulers from all the 17 paramountcies in the region, resplendent in their traditional fugu and its accessories, converged on the Golden Jubilee Park, which was equally parked to capacity.
The President explained that in doing so, however, his government would want to make sure that it applied the rule of law, adding that at the end of the day whenever the people gave their decision, nobody would have the opportunity to dispute it.
“It is for the sake of candour, openness and transparency that we let the people know where we are taking over from so that there can always be a point of reference. There is no point in throwing dust into the eyes of the people; the fact must be told,” he said.
He said although he had been in power for only five months, he could say that the signs were good and gave the assurance that his government would not fail Ghanaians because it knew that the promises it made to the citizens were sacred.
On criticisms of his government, President Mills said he wished that within four months he could do what he had promised to do in four years.
“If they knew how to do this, why didn’t they do it in the eight years that they were in power?” he asked.
He promised that under his administration, the development of the Upper East Region would be fast-tracked, insisting that he had a competent team to ensure that those promises were fulfilled.
He said government would improve agriculture in the region through irrigation farming, subsidy on fertilisers, tractor services and other inputs to boost food production.
Touching on his plans for the region, he said a number of interventions had been lined up in the areas of agriculture and infrastructural development, including the rehabilitation of dams.
He said many investors wanted to come into the country, stressing that he knew that the northern regions were a peculiar attraction, hence the setting up of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority.
He, however, said much could not be achieved in an atmosphere of violence and appealed to the people to ensure that peace prevailed.
He expressed the hope that given the numerous interactions he had had with the opinion leaders of Bawku, the problems there would be dealt with.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, disclosed that the Bawku Municipal Assembly, on the advice of the Regional Security Committee (RESEC), was constructing a mini military barracks at Bazua near Bawku to ensure the permanent presence of the military in the area.
He said the project, which started with funding from the assembly and supported by the Regional Co-ordinating Council and some assemblies in the region, had stalled due to inadequate funding and appealed to the President for a special fund to be allocated for the completion of the project
He said the presence of the military in the area would bolster the confidence of the people and help forestall any future breaches of the peace.
The regional minister said the protracted Bawku conflict had left a big scar on the once peaceful region which had become a source of worry to peace-loving people. But he was optimistic and hopeful that a lasting solution would be found for the people of Bawku to live in harmony.
The President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Paga-Pio Pe Awiah Awampaga ll, said the region was peaceful but it could not boast of total peace because of the Bawku conflict, adding that the Regional House of Chiefs was doing its best to finding a lasting solution to the issue.
“Even though we do not doubt the capabilities of the 10-member committee appointed to go into the matter by the regional minister, I will call for your personal intervention. I believe that Ghanaians will appreciate your efforts and will not see it as interfering in chieftaincy matters because we are talking about peace and not who should be a chief,” he said.
The Paga-Pio was grateful to the President for maintaining the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture when he cut down the number of ministries and appealed to him to, in conjunction with the Speaker of Parliament, put in place a committee in Parliament for chieftaincy affairs.
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