Calls for 'Marshall plan' to develop North

Gwollu, Dec. 31, GNA - Chiefs from the Sissala Traditional Area have called on the government to come out with a Marshall plan to bridge the development gap between the North and the South.

They said the development gap between the North and the South was still widening which would result in an economic and social catastrophe if pragmatic measures were not undertaken to address the challenges. The chiefs commended the government for establishing the Northern Development Fund and called for more of such initiatives and interventions to help alleviate the endemic poverty and underdevelopment.

Kuoru Krui-Buktie Limann, Paramount Chief of the Gwollu Traditional Area made the call on behalf of the chiefs and the executives of the Sissala Union at its annual general meeting to celebrate Ghana's Golden Jubilee at Gwollu on Saturday.

Sissalas from all parts of the country and neighbouring Burkina Faso, who attended the forum took stock of development issues and came out with strategies to address challenges next year.

Kuoru Limann, on behalf of the chiefs and executives of the Sissala Union thanked God for miraculously saving President John Agyekum Kufuor unhurt during his involvement in a motor accident on November 14. He commended the government for creating a new district for the Lambussie, bringing to four the number of districts in the Sissala area.

The chiefs suggested to government to consider naming the districts as Sissala West, with its capital at Lambusssie, Sissala Central, with its capital as Gwollu, Sissala East, with the capital at Tumu and Sissala South, with Funsi as its capital to give identity to the Sissalas.

Kuoru Limann expressed the gratitude of the people to President John Agyekum Kufuor and the NPP government for the urgent manner it took to provide relief services to people who suffered losses in the floods that hit the Northern regions.

Mr. George Hikah Benson, Upper West Regional Minister, who was the guest speaker, called on the people to let unity be their guiding principle in the pursuance of progress and development. He advised people in the region to invest in the education of their children, pointing out that it was a critical issue that needed the concern of all to help move the development agenda forward. Mr. Benson said the creation of new districts showed government commitment to bring governance to the doorsteps of the people and also improve infrastructure in rural areas to enhance economic and social activities.

He announced that, the Gwollu-Tumu, Tumu-Sisisli and Wa-Han roads had been awarded on contract for tarring to facilitate the movement of goods and people.

He said electricity would be extended to some communities, while selected towns would also be provided with modern markets of which Gwollu was a beneficiary.

Mr. Benson said this year's drought and floods had left in their trails devastating consequences on the lives of the people and that government and its development partners had put in place short and medium term interventions to mitigate the effects.

He warned people against bush burning, which, he said was inimical to development, especially animal rearing, food production and the environment.

Mr. Benson appealed to the chiefs to deliberate on the issue and find a lasting solution to it, to save the area from becoming a desert.