The Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu has appealed to the people of the Region to consider development ahead of politics.
The Regional Minister made the appeal during a visit to the Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area, Pe Dituudini Adiana Ayagitam III who doubles as the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.
According to Minister Yakubu, the kind of politics played with serious developmental issues by the people of the region have deeply caused the region to undeveloped.
He further appeals to the people of the region especially members of the governing NPP and the opposition NDC, to consider playing politics only during the political season, stressing that the after general elections, the region should put all their focus on the developmental issues for growth.
He also acknowledges the role of chiefs when it comes to development in the country, as he described the institution of chieftaincy as very important and key to the development of the country.
However, addressing the Paramount chief of Chana traditional area, Pe Dituudini Adiana Ayagitam III the Regional Minister described him as a man with the same vision with him.
“I want you to know that, is not the usual going round of Regional Ministers introducing themselves to chiefs. I want it to be that the chiefs are on a very unique path in our development process. The Institution of Chieftaincy is very important and key to the development of this our country and as you partner with the executive, we can do whatever the people want us to do in terms of development and today am particularly happy because you and I share the same vision”.
“The vision is to change things, to look like the way things are there in U.K, for your people to have a better life, for your people to have jobs, for your people to be able to go to school, for your people to get good drinking water, for your people to drive on a nice road and for your people to have good food to eat and live long”.
“Today, I want to partner with you for us to do the same to the entire region and you are very key because you are the President of the Upper East house of Chiefs. Therefore, you and your chiefs and with me from the executive can come together to change Upper East. And I don’t just go talking about the change, I don’t just go about drumming this vision that cannot be achieved. Those vision that cannot be achieved, they are not vision. I am a very practical person and I know this vision and goal will be achieved. But what is clear in my mind is that i cannot achieve these goals alone, you cannot achieve it alone but together, we will be able to achieve these goals”.
“When you are in someone’s land, no matter your education, no matter your smartness, no matter your handsomeness, nobody sees that, and sometimes, it can be very intimidating. So, we have seen young people, we have seen smart people outside Ghana thinking that I must go back and also develop my place and also to live in this development and I think, that is the vision we have discussed together and this is the time because he is the President of the Upper East House of Chiefs and I am the Regional Minister”.
“People are talking about Airport and I know Airport is coming. We are one of the regions in this country that, we are going to have 4 good big irrigation projects. We have Tono, we have VEA, we have Tamne dam around the Kusasi area and now we are going to have Pwalungu Multi-Purpose dam. So, with these 4 big irrigation projects, we should be able to feed ourselves and feed the nation and export and that will make us richer. So, I urge everybody in the region to take advantage of these projects that are coming up for us to make ourselves better. Is going to create a lot of jobs for our youth who will always tell you ‘we are going to Kumasi’. We want to make this region our Kumasi, we want to make this region so that people can also come in here and look for jobs, we have the natural resources we have gold, we have the timber now rosewood, we have the big rivers BLACK VOLTA and WHITE VOLTA”. The Regional Minister said during his speech.
The Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area, Pe Dituudini Adiana Ayagitam III who doubles as the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs has endorsed the vision outline by the Upper East Regional Minister during the visit to his palace.
According to him, “if we are able to recover the resources we have in the region, there will be a good job for the youth in the region and with that, they won’t be able to travel outside the region to Kumasi for mini-jobs.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the regional minister to assist the people of Chana by way of fixing their deplorable road, which according to him happens to be one of their serious problems in the area.
He congratulated the Upper East Regional Minister for his new enviable role, as he promised that they as fathers in the will make sure they live a good legacy behind.
