Peace in Bawku, healthcare top priorities of Upper East Regional designate 

By Anthony Adongo Apubeo 

Bolgatanga, Jan 28, GNA – Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister-designate, has outlined four key priority areas he is determined to pursue and leave as legacy at the end of his tenure. 

Helping to bring permanent peace to Bawku, ensuring the completion and operationalisation of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, the Upper East Regional Airport and the Agenda 111 would be his top priorities to improve the lot of the region. 

Mr Akamugri made these commitments when he faced Parliament’s Appointment Committee in Accra during his vetting on Monday. 

He explained that the protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict had not only led to the lost of many lives and property, but also a major setback to the region’s progress. 

Currently, more than 40 people have lost their lives to the conflict since it occurred in October 2024 and almost everyday gunshots were heard in the area and the situation is now extending to other areas including the Bolgatanga-Walewale-Tamale areas, he said. 

Mr Akamugri said President John Dramani Mahama had already begun a roadmap towards achieving lasting and sustainable peace in the area, and added that if approved he would work tirelessly to support the vision of the President and engage the relevant stakeholders to resolve the conflict. 

“I would like to see to it that peace in Bawku is actualised so that Bawku can return to the good days,” he said when asked what legacies he would want to leave at end of his tenure. 

“We used to refer to Bawku as the West African constituency because it shares borders with two international communities, that is, Togo and Burkina Faso and it was a business centre until the conflict”. 

The Regional Minister reiterated his commitment to engaging the security services, relevant stakeholders and the North East Regional Minister to ensure peace and security while they worked together to achieve permanent peace. 

Mr Akamugri said infrastructure deficit was a major hindrance to quality healthcare in the region and would make it a priority as the Regional Minister to see to the completion of the Agenda 111 projects in the region to augment the existing ones. 

The Upper East Region is benefiting from eight Agenda 111 projects across eight districts – Kassena-Nankana West, Nabdam, Binduri, Bolgatanga East, Builsa South, Garu, Tempane and Bawku West – and these projects are at various stages of completion. 

“Mr Chairman, we have a serious staffing problem in the health sector in the Upper East Region where the doctor to patient ratio is 1:24,124, which is way above the World Health Organisation accepted ratio of 1:1,000,” he said. 

“This is a serious matter, so I want the health sector improved because a healthy society is what can lead us to development.” 

On solution, he believed the design of special packages for rural regions like the Upper East Region would attract and retain more critical health professionals and specialists. 

“When I am approved as Regional Minister, I will liaise with the various districts to also identify and sponsor students from their districts to go and study medicines so that they can come back to the area to work.” 

Mr Akamugi noted that the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam and Regional Airport were major projects with the potential to open the region for investment, create jobs and boost the local economy for improved livelihoods. 

GNA