'New regions dividing us, it’s dangerous' – Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the creation of the six new regions will not industrialise Ghana, adding: “It is rather sharply dividing” Ghanaians on ethnic grounds.

The MP made the comments at a public forum held in Ho on the theme: "Bridging the Volta infrastructure and poverty gap; the role of stakeholders" on Saturday, 7 December 2019.

Six new regions were created by President Nana Akufo-Addo following a referendum that was held on 18 December 2018.

The six new regions include Oti, Savanna, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo and Western North.

However, the North Tongu MP noted that creating more regions is exacerbating ethnic rivalries.

“That notion that to develop in Ghana, to industrialise in Ghana, to get to the next level, to increase our per capital, our GDP and all of that, we should have more districts … should be discarded immediately.

“Having more districts is not what will industrialise Ghana, it’s not going to bring development and we’ve gotten to a time where politicians should be bold, it’s just like a father; it’s not everything your child asks that you give your child. We spent more on trying to set up that district and feed their bureaucracy and more people on the payroll at the expense of the taxpayer…” Mr Ablakwa said.

In his view, “The opportunism is becoming too much”, adding: “It is that same notion that has led to new regions; Ghana do we need sixteen regions?

“Our brothers and sisters in Oti, are they still not agitating, are they still not agitating for their roads, what difference has it made after they voted?

“And my fear, really, is that these things we’re doing, more regions, more districts, is rather sharply dividing us on ethnic grounds which is very very dangerous.”