By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Anateem (U/E), Jan 15, GNA-The Chiefs, Tindaanas, (Landlords) and people of the Upper East Region have reminded the government of its promise to construct an airport project in the region to boost the local economy and drive sustainable development.
They said the construction of the airport in the region would not only open the region for economic growth, create employment for the youth and reposition the country to tap into the potentials of the Sahel region, but would be a great legacy for the people to remember and a fulfilment of its promise to the people.
“We would like to kindly remind His Excellency the President, Nana Akufo-Addo that in the run up to 2016 elections, he visited the Sumbrungu Chief’s Palace and made an earnest promise that he will complete the airport if he were voted into power.
“He again reiterated this promise in Bongo when he came to cut sod for commencement of the One-Village-One-Dam project.
“Having been elected as President and almost ending his second term, we would like to also make a passionate appeal to him to honour his promise by pooling resources to continue and complete this partly developed site into a functioning airport.”
Naba Sigiri Bewong, Paramount Chief of Sakote in the Nabdam District, made this appeal on behalf of the chiefs, tindaanas and people of the region at a durbar dubbed, “From silence to action: Bolgatanga airport’s 30-year journey” to increase advocacy for the construction of the project
The construction of the airport in the Upper East Region begun in the late 1970s and early 1980s where about 2,8853.72 hectares of land was earmarked at Anateem, a suburb of Sumbrungu in the Bolgatanga Municipality for the project.
Series of feasibilility studies and technical assessments had been done on the area which revealed its suitability for the construction of the airport, however, successive governments had failed to materialise the project creating anger and disappointment among the residents of the region.
The Paramount Chief indicated that the Chiefs and Tindaabma of the community in the spirit of development and patriotic nationalism, willingly released the land for the project and relocated at their cost but it was unfortunate that after several decades there was nothing concrete to show.
“Farmlands and other economic trees such as Shea nuts trees were destroyed to pave way for the projects, hence rendered many farmers and women economically inactive since their source of livelihoods were dependent on farmlands and economic trees,” he stressed.
“We wish to emphasise that the discovery of gold, oil and industrial clay and other minerals in commercial quantities in the Upper East Region makes the construction of an airport a necessary
pre-requisite to catalyze investment and propel development of the region which had lacked behind for so long,” he said.
Naba Patriotic Ayimbila Asaliya, the Chairperson of Bolgatanga Airport Development Committee, a group of non-partisan citizens which facilitated the durbar, explained that all stakeholders must support the advocacy for the construction of the project.
Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, lauded the efforts the stakeholders in the region for working together to develop the region and added that although some efforts had been made, he would work with them to increase advocacy to attract support for the airport project.
GNA.