By Kofi Awuku
The government has finally mobilized the 200 million Ghana Cedis it pledged to provide as seed money to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), in fulfillment of its manifesto promise to the people of the Savannah Ecological zone.
“The first tranche of ¢100 million is safely in SADA’’s account as I speak to you now. The second tranche of ¢100 million will be paid in the second half of the year”, Vice-President John Dramani Mahama had announced in Tamale.
The Vice-President was inaugurating the Stakeholders Coordinating Committee for the Savannah Accelerated Development Strategy at a ceremony held in Tamale.
The inauguration of the Stakeholders Committee is the last requirement under the Act to make SADA fully operational, following the passage of the SADA Act by Parliament in September 2010 and the subsequent appointment or setting up of the Board and the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
According to Mr. Mahama, government had already allocated ¢30 million as operational budget for SADA, in the 2012 budget.
He noted that the latest development should put to rest the doubts in people’s mind, especially those from the north, about government’s commitment to the full implementation of SADA.
Recounting the historical antecedent to the gap between the North and South of Ghana in terms of development, and the subsequent formation of SADA, the Vice-President noted that there were deliberate and conscious efforts by the British colonial administrators to create that developmental disparity.
He explained that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah recognized that, and therefore, introduced the Northern Fee-free education scheme, where there was an agreement between the Northern group, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Colonial government before independence.
“All governments, since then, have recognized the need for a special scheme to accelerate Northern Savannah development. This was made more poignant when the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) picked it as a major development challenge for Ghana,” Mr. Mahama stressed.
The Vice-President mentioned that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) believed an authority rather than a fund, should be the vehicle for achieving this objective, thus, the formation of SADA.
He said since its establishment SADA has drawn up a long term strategy for the Northern Savannah Development
Mr. Mahama called on Ghanaians, especially those living in and around the SADA ecological zone to support the government and the board to bridge the development gap between the south and the north.
Chairman of the SADA Board, Mr. Alhassan Andani, outlined the significance of SADA and of the Stakeholders Coordinating Council; and described SADA, as an Authority empowered to provide government with guidance on long-term planning needs of the SADA zone and a strategy to address those needs.
The function was attended by various regional ministers who fall within the SADA zone, Members of Parliament and other non-governmental organizations and government officials.
The SADA members were later sworn in by a High Court Judge.
