Zambaga Rufai Saminu
20 November 2009
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Takoradi — The Northern Region is the biggest region in the country, with a landmass covering the traditional areas of Gonja, Mamprusi and Dagbon kingdoms. The size of the region however is not commensurate with the level of development, resulting in discussion about dividing it into two.
During the 2008 elections, the two major political parties in the country, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), then in opposition, all made public statements about the size of the region, promising to carve another region out of it.
His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, during his first visit to the Gonja areas of the region, after he was sworn into office as the Vice President of the country, some of the chiefs in the Northern Region appealed to him to push for the government to divide the region.
But, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, in response, told the chiefs and people of the area that though it was a nice idea, the decision of whether the region should be divided or not should be taken by all the chiefs in the region.
His advice was accordingly heeded by the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, which then worked together to present their report to the presidency for consideration.
The Deputy Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Omane Boamah, at a meeting with the Western Regional House of Chiefs at Sekondi recently, however kicked against the idea of dividing regions and districts in the country, on the grounds of development.
"Dividing regions is not the issue. Sometimes, when I hear people talking about government should divide this region or that, I ask myself, is that the real issue. That is not the real issue," he said, adding that dividing the regions was just a matter of creating administrative differences.
According to him, what was important for the country was for the people themselves to take up their own development, instead of consistently relying on the central government to do everything for them.
"If we don't handle our own development, and continue to rely on politicians and central government, our development process will be slow," he pointed out.
He therefore expressed his opposition to the division of regions in the country.
Dr. Boamah explained that instead of the Western Regional House of Chiefs waiting with their arms in front of them for the central government and the oil companies to develop their respective areas, it was important for them to hold the bull by the horns, and begin to carry out their own development initiatives.
"Oil companies should not take centerstage in our development process. Our health, education and all sectors of the economy must not be handled by the oil companies," he emphasised.
Dr. Boamh's comments and advice to the chiefs, was in reaction to several requests made by the house to Tullow Oil, for the development of the region. There had been suggestions as to how the oil revenue should be disbursed, and the share that the region should get when commercial production of the black gold begins next year.
The suggestions were made by members of the house to Tullow oil, to be incorporated in the Environmental Impact Statement they are preparing to present to the government for endorsement as the final step, qualifying them for an operational license to operate in the country, after successfully carrying out the Environmental Impact Assessment EIA throughout the coastal areas of the region.
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