Mills must fulfill campaign promises now - Northern chiefs

The president of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Sulemana Jakpa Bore Essa I, has flogged government to fulfill its campaign promises made to the people of the North.

Among other demands, Yagbonwura Essa I, who is also the paramount chief of the Gonja Traditional Area, reminded government of its pledge to tar roads in the Northern region particularly that of the eastern corridor and the Fufulso-Sawla roads.

He was addressing the general meeting of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs in Tamale on Friday.

The Yagbonwura noted with deep concern that there was the need for peace before, during and after the December general elections.

He said much was desired of government to ensure free, fair and credible elections in December.

He also made a passionate appeal to President John Evans Atta Mills and the New Patriotic Party flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo to imbibe the spirit of peaceful co-existence in their supporters.

On the on-going biometric voter registration exercise, the Northern Regional House of Chiefs President challenged his colleagues to encourage their subjects to show keen interest in it.

He was, however, quick to caution them against superintending over the registration of minors and foreigners within their jurisdictions.

The Yagbonwura further called on educational authorities in the region to intensify their monitoring and supervision activities to curtail the abysmal performance recorded at the Basic Education Certificate Examination level over the years.

He praised the House for successfully disposing off some chieftaincy cases that were pending before it and encouraged the aggrieved parties to seek legal redress rather than adopting violence to achieve their goals.

The Northern Regional Minister, Moses Bukari Mabengba, reiterated government’s commitment to disassociate itself from interfering in chieftaincy matters.

He, however, warned that the law would not spare anybody or interest groups who might attempt to destabilise the region’s peace and tranquility.

He recalled the creation of six additional districts in the Northern region which according to him meant government was committed to bridging the development gap between the north and the south.

Mr. Mabengba therefore pleaded with the electorate to retain the John Mills-led NDC administration.

He said the Savannah Accelerated Development Programme (SADA), was progressing smoothly since its authority is working in close collaboration with the University for Development Studies (UDS) and the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) to handle the various targeted interventions that is expected to bring relief to inhabitants in the SADA zone as well as to bridge the gap between the north and south.



By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/Citifmonline.com/Ghana