UE Regional Minister enlist support of chiefs

Story & Pix: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru has sought the support of traditional rulers towards the fulfillment the government’s vision for an accelerated development of the region. He said the government was counting on the co-operation of chiefs to sustain the peace in the region and appealed to chiefs to partner with the government to bring prosperity to the people. Speaking at the palaces of chiefs of Bolgatanga, Zuarungu Tongo, Sakote, Nabdam, and Bongo Traditional Areas, on the first leg of courtesy calls on the chiefs to inform them of his assumption of office, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru, said the NDC as a social democratic party was committed to improving the wellbeing of the people and as such would not pursue any policy that would undermine the growth of the people. He was accompanied by his deputy, Mr. Daniel Syme, the Regional NDC party chairman, Alhaji Mumuni Bonaba and the Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr. Donatus Akamugre. He said as traditional rulers, chiefs had a critical role to play in the maintenance of peace in the region and appealed to them to entreat their subjects to foster peace to pave way for development. He said the biggest challenges of the region were poverty illiteracy and disease which he said should be confronted and encouraged the chiefs to partner his administration in its quest to do its best to better the lot of the people. “We have been given the mandate to run this region by the President. Even if our tenure should last for only one month, we would want to make an impact so that future generations would come to see what we were able to achieve. We demand partnership. We need the support of all, be it chiefs, Municipal and District Chief Executives, MPs, the ordinarily citizen from the region in our bid to develop the region. Our doors are open for constructive criticism that will advance the development of the Upper East Region,” he said. At Sakote, the Paramount Chief, Naba Asigri Bewong who is also the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs commended the Regional Minister and his deputy on their appointment and assured the pair of the support of the chiefs to bring development to the region. He urged Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru to build on the peace efforts initiated by his predecessor, Mr Mark Woyongo in Bawku and other parts of the region to facilitate rapid development. At Nangode, the Paramount Chief at palace of the Nangode Chief, Naaba Kosom Asaga Yelzuya urged government to intervene in the activities miners and the injection of appropriate technology to reduce its effects on the environment. “Unfortunately, we cannot count our gold deposits as one of our blessings. There has been wanton destruction of the land. This has further entrenched poverty as our people are unable to farm on the land” he said. At Bongo, the Bonaba, Salifu Alemyaarum said work on the Bongo-Bolgatanga raod has resumed but appealed to the regional minister to bring pressure to bear on the contractor to speed up work to bring relief to the people. He noted that his area still lack motorable roads particularly within the Bongo township and appealed that since the Regional Minister to prioritize road construction to other parts of the district. The Chief of Bongo appealed to the government to establish a College of Education for the people of Bongo and its surroundings especially since the NDC has already decided to establish new colleges of education as part of its holistic educational policy. On the rehabilitation of the Vea dam which as stalled due to disputes, the Bongo Chief pledged continue to intervene to enable to project continue and save the dam for possible collapse and interrupt the supply of potable water to the people of the region. The Regional Minister and his deputy are scheduled to visit all the 17 paramount chiefs in the region to introduce themselves to them before settling down to conduct the business of coordinating, monitoring and evaluating government polices and programmes geared at lifting the region out of poverty. -End-