By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Feb 11, GNA – Chiana Pio, Pe Thomas More Ditundini Adiali Ayagtam III, Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area in the Kassena-Nankana West District has been elected Upper East Regional Representative for the Council of State.
The 54-year-old who is also the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs polled 18 of the 30 valid ballots cast to beat six other candidates to emerge winner in the 2025 Council of State election held in Bolgatanga.
His closest contender, Mr Thomas More, a physically challenged health professional and Chief Executive Officer of the Ayamfooya Memorial Clinic in the Nabdam District polled five votes while Mr Peter Baba Aluze- ele, a Lecturer and Entrepreneur also had three votes.
Whereas Mr Justice Aduko, an Environment and Climate Change Consultant secured two votes, Mr Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, Executive Director of the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) and Pe Balinia Dennis Adda Asagpare II, Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area polled one vote each while Mr Elias Ayinbila Apasiya, a Lecturer and Librarian at the Bolgatanga Technical University failed to garner any vote
Initially, nine persons had filed to contest the election in the region which had Electoral College of 30 voters, however, Messrs Desmond Ayambire, a Project Officer and Arabogo Ben Azumah, a Social Worker pulled out of the race barely 24 hours to the election.
Speaking after being declared winner by the Electoral Commission, Pe Ayagtam III expressed gratitude to the selected Assembly members who formed the Electoral College for the confidence reposed in him and assured residents of the region of his resolve to represent the region’s interest well.
He promised to work to ensure the region had its fair share of the national cake, attract investors to drive development and help to improve the welfare of the vulnerable people in the region.
He reiterated the need for the region to have an airport to open it for investment and development and noted that the airport project would be prioritised to ensure that the government honoured its promise for the project to come to reality.
“The Upper East Region is a strategic place, if the airport is sited here, we are likely to attract travelers from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger”, he stated.
The Chiana Pio acknowledged the impact of climate that had in recent times created prolonged drought and adversely affected food production in the region, adding that he would lobby for the construction of viable dams that would support farmers to engage in dry season irrigation activities to boost food security in the region.
He also assured the residents of the region of his pledge to work to facilitate the government’s work to revamp the defunct Zuarungu Meat and Pawlugu Tomato factories in the region to help create jobs and boost value chain operations.
“Dr Kwame Nkrumah gave us about two to three factories but now they are no longer functioning, so we will talk to the government to ensure that they are revived”. He added.
GNA