By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Feb. 6, GNA – Leadership of the Bolgatanga, Nabdam, Bongo and Tongo (BONABOTO), a civil society organisation, has called on Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri at his office in Bolgatanga to congratulate him on his appointment as the Upper East Regional Minister.
The visit, led by Professor Samuel Atintono, the National President of BONABOTO was also to afford the organisation the opportunity to express their support to him as he begins his duties as political head to drive inclusive and accelerated development of the region.
BONABOTO is a non-partisan, advocacy and development-oriented organisation that advocates development and wellbeing of the region and in particular progress of the Bolgatanga, Bolgatanga East, Nabdam, Bongo and Talensi Districts and their environs.
Professor Atintono expressed the confidence of the organisation in the new Regional Minister to work closely with relevant stakeholders to transform the region and address the numerous challenges for improved livelihoods.
He reiterated the commitment of BONABOTO to collaborate and offer support to the Regional Minister to succeed and urged him to adopt frequent engagements and operate an inclusive policy that would help carry all persons along to developing the region.
On some concerns of the region, Professor Atintono urged the Regional Minister to prioritise the construction of the Upper East Regional Airport as part of efforts to open the region to investment and job creation.
He said feasibility studies had been completed and a site earmarked at Sumbrungu in the Bolgatanga Municipality for the airport project and urged him to work with the relevant authorities to ensure the project was executed.
“We were very happy when you mentioned the airport as one of your priority areas during your vetting in Accra and President John Dramani Mahama also talked about it during the campaign and so we will be happy to see the project coming to reality”, he said.
He indicated that the protracted chieftaincy conflict in Bawku was escalating to other parts of the region and beyond and there was the need for the Minister to make it a priority and work to resolve it.
“Peace is key to development, and we are concerned about the conflict in Bawku because the factions have taken entrenched positions and we hope there will be the required political will to permanently resolve it”, he said.
On roads, Professor Atintono said apart from the Bolgatanga-Tamale Highway, Bolgatanga-Chiana-Tumu highways which were in deplorable state and needed collaboration with other regional ministers to address them, the internal road network in Bolgatanga and other major towns in the region were bad and urged him to work to see that their states were improved.
On education, Professor Atintono was worried that the region had been recording abysmal performances at the basic and second cycle institutions in recent years and called for urgent interventions to reverse the trend.
He therefore reiterated call for establishment of College of Education particularly within the BONABOTO zone to complement the St John Bosco and Gbewaa Colleges of Education to offer opportunities for more people in the region to be trained as teachers.
“We also appealed to you to follow up to ensure that the Gurune Language which was approved for it to be taught in schools is examinable”, he added.
Mr Robert Ajene, an Educationist and Founding Member of BONABOTO urged the Minister to undertake capital investment to leave behind a legacy.
On his part, the Regional Minister thanked them for calling on him and promised to work with all persons to address the challenges facing the region, adding “I am here to serve and not to be served, so draw my attention if I am going the wrong way”.
He promised that the issues raised would be given the needed attention to bring development and relief to the people across the region and asked for their cooperation.
GNA