A simmering controversy has erupted over the much-anticipated Upper East Regional Airport project, with the region’s leading advocacy group, the Alagumgube Association, accusing the Regional Minister, Donatus Atanga Akamugri, of sidelining them at a critical stage of the project’s development.
The dispute has cast a shadow over what many hoped would be a unifying milestone for the Upper East, threatening to undermine the hard-won cooperation between local communities, traditional leaders, and government agencies.
At the heart of the storm is Mr. Gabriel Agambila, the founder of the Alagumgube Association. Since the inception of the airport agenda, Agambila and his group have been the driving force behind the project, mobilizing funds for land documentation, facilitating community engagement, and overseeing technical preparations.
Their efforts have included everything from extending the proposed runway and repairing access roads to performing traditional rites when construction encroached upon a sacred grove. “We have gone far beyond advocacy,” Agambila said in a recent interview on Apexnewsgh’s ‘SPEAKOUT UPPER EAST.’ “We funded the extension of the runway, performed necessary rites, bought gravel for road repairs, and kept the community together.”
However, Agambila now alleges that the Association has been unfairly excluded from the latest and most crucial stages of documentation. According to him, the Regional Minister orchestrated the signing of key documents in Accra without Alagumgube’s knowledge or consent. “I haven’t signed any document. Yet the documents are in Accra with all signatures. The landowners told me they signed, and I personally confirmed in the office of the CEO of the Ghana Airport Company that the documents had arrived,” Agambila recounted, his voice laced with frustration and disbelief. He claims that although his name appeared as a signatory, he never appended his signature to the final paperwork.
The fallout has been immediate and intense. Chiefs and landowners, who have worked hand-in-hand with the Association for years, were reportedly so angered by the perceived betrayal that some threatened to withdraw their lands from the project. “I had to personally plead with them to keep faith in the process,” Agambila revealed. For him, the pain of exclusion is not just personal—it is communal. “It’s like an insult. We invested energy, money, and our reputation. Only to be treated as though we don’t matter.”
Agambila’s personal sacrifices underscore the depth of his commitment. He gave up his job in the United States and spent nearly a year in Ghana, living among the communities, negotiating with landowners, and smoothing the sometimes-rough edges of local politics. “I confronted the Minister. He told me the documents were needed urgently. But who could have done it faster than someone who left his job and family abroad to fight for this project?” he asked, still incredulous at the turn of events.
The Association’s exclusion, Agambila suspects, may be rooted in political maneuvering. According to him, the individual who submitted the documents on behalf of the region was introduced as a “party person,” suggesting that loyalty to political interests may have trumped years of grassroots engagement. “We are doing this for the region. Ministers come and go. This project outlives politics,” he insisted, reaffirming Alagumgube’s non-partisan stance. “Our advocacy is not for any party or individual. It is for the benefit of the whole Upper East.”
Despite the setback, Agambila and the Alagumgube Association are not giving up. He disclosed that new investors have already shown interest in the airport project and are awaiting meetings with the Minister for Roads and the Ghana Airport Company to discuss the way forward. “We won’t relent. The region is fighting, and Alagumgube is fighting. If we secure the benefits, they are for the people, not for any individual,” he declared.
The Association’s continued commitment has been welcomed by local stakeholders, many of whom see Alagumgube as the glue holding together the complex coalition of chiefs, landowners, business leaders, and residents who have championed the airport agenda for years. “Without Alagumgube, this project would not have come this far,” said one local chief, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They have been at the forefront, ensuring that everyone is consulted and every concern addressed.”
As the controversy unfolds, residents across the Upper East are watching with a mixture of hope and apprehension. The airport is widely regarded as a potential game-changer for the region, promising improved connectivity, economic growth, and new opportunities for trade and tourism. However, there are fears that political disagreements and exclusionary tactics could derail the project at the last minute. “We need unity now more than ever,” said a community elder in Bolgatanga. “The airport is for all of us, not for a select few.”
Observers say the dispute highlights the delicate balance between grassroots advocacy and political authority in major infrastructural projects. While government support is essential for securing funding and regulatory approval, the sustained involvement of local champions like the Alagumgube Association is often what ensures long-term success and community buy-in.
For now, the future of the Upper East Regional Airport project hangs in the balance. Agambila remains optimistic but cautious, urging all parties to put aside personal and political interests for the greater good. “This is about the region’s future. Let us not lose sight of what brought us together in the first place,” he concluded.
As negotiations continue and fresh investors prepare to engage with government agencies, the people of the Upper East region are left hoping that wisdom will prevail, and that the airport project, years in the making, will finally take flight without leaving its original champions behind.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
