The Paramount Chief of the Sakote Traditional Area in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, Naba Sigiri Bewo-ong, has made a passionate appeal to the President of the Republic of Ghana to take a second look at the frequent reshuffling of Regional Ministers.
According to Naba Bewo-ong, the Upper East Regional Ministers is the hardest hit when it comes reshuffling of Regional Ministers under the successive governments thereby retarding the development of the region very seriously.
The Paramount Chief indicated that, thought they are not against the President’s prerogative powers to appoint and reshuffle, petty squabbles and internal party grumblings should not necessitate changing of Ministers tracing it from the days of the PNDC to date and likening it to regional coup d’états.
Naba Bewo-ong bemoaned that, the reshuffle even takes place without any recourse to the chiefs in the region.
Naba Bewo-ong made the appeal when the new Upper East Regional Minister, Ms. Paulina Abayage paid a courtesy call on him at his palace in Sakoti in the Nabdam District.
The Paramount Chief, however, expressed gratitude to the President for her elevation Ms. Abayage as the new Regional Minister and stressed that it was gratifying to note that, six contracts have been awarded for the construction of One-Dam One-village in the Nabdam District.
Whilst expressing the hope that the District will soon heave a sigh of relief from the acute water problem, The Paramount Chief indicated that last year about 200 cattle died as result of lack of water. He assured the Regional Minister the Sakoti’s traditional council support her develop the region.
The Regional Minister said, she was moved by the issues raised the Paramount Chief and that she will get the President informed about his concerns.
She stated that, she was his daughter and will rely on His Highness wisdom and the traditional council to develop the Upper East Region.
Ms. Abayage emphasized that, as a home based women, she knows her region very well, its value and the plight of the people.
The region, she indicated, has a lot of potentials like basketry and leather works, wonderful tourist sites, beautiful traditions as well as many ethnic groups and rich cultural diversities and co-exit peacefully.
She reiterated the vision of Nana Addo’s laudable policies of Planting for Food and Jobs, One-village Dam, One-District One-Factory, Rearing for Jobs to be rolled out soon; and called on the traditional leaders and subjects to liaise strongly with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to bring home the regions’ its fair share for her development.
The Minister story was not different at the Nangodi Paramountcy when she paid a similar homage tin that area to.
The Paramount Chief of the Nangodi Traditional Area Naba Kosom Asaga Yelzoya was simply elated for her appointment as the first woman Regional Minister, to addition to his District Chief executive DCE also a lady.
He commended the District Chief Executive for an excellent performance in placing the district in second position.
Story by Akayeti Emmanuel
