Creation of new regions: Commission of Inquiry to begin public hearing in Northern region

The Commission of Inquiry tasked to inquire into the proposed creation of new regions in some parts of the country would begin public hearings in the Northern region on Tuesday March 13, 2018.

The public hearing would be based on the two petitions submitted by the Gonja Traditional Area and the Mamprugu Traditional Area seeking for the Northern region to be split.

The Tuesday sitting of the commission, which will take place at the Radach Lodge in Tamale, will be restricted to discussions on the petition from the Gonja Traditional Area. That of the Mamprugu Traditional Area will be discussed on Tuesday March 20, 2018 at the same venue.

The Minister for Regional Reorganisation and Development, Dan Botwe disclosed this at a media sensitization workshop in Tamale on the creation of the new regions.

The workshop which was attended by journalists, staff of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Services Department (ISD) was aimed at educating participants on the proposed creation of the new regions.

The minister urged participants to help educate the public on the processes leading to the creation of the regions.

He dispelled assertions that names and capitals of the proposed regions had already been determined.

“Mr President made it clear when he inaugurated the commission on 19th October, 2017 that there is no predetermined capital, not even the name of the new regions has been determined. Yes, the petitioners themselves have made some suggestions, but it’s all within the purview of the Commission of Inquiry based on the recommendations. That’s why there is a lot of consultation going on,” he explained.

He further explained that the public hearing is not the end of the exercise and that any member of the public who has concerns can submit a memorandum to the commission even after the public hearings.

The Northern regional Minister, Salifu Saeed who was also at the event stressed the need for the Northern region to be split. He argued that the creation of new regions from the existing one would engender the needed development.

“The region is very diverse, very wide, very complex with complex issues, with a lot of challenges [but] with huge potential. So if we want to ensure effective administration of the region, there is the need for us to guide ourselves so that at the end of the day we pass the test by getting this region delineated into very effective administrative boundary so that the type of development that we are yearning for our people will become a reality,” he advised.

Other places the public hearings would be held are Damongo on March 14, Buipe on March 15, Bole on March 17, Sawla on March 18 and Salaga on March 19. The rest are Nalerigu on March 21, Bunkpurugu on March 22, Yagaba on March 24 and Walewale on March 25.