Vice President cautions northern chiefs against release of lands

Accra, July 19, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday cautioned northern chiefs against indiscriminate release of land to investors for development projects.

"Much as you as chiefs have the duty of supporting investors to acquire land without litigations, you also have the responsibility to hold your land in trust for future generations and posterity."

The Vice President said this when chiefs from the three northern regions called on him at the Osu, Castle to announce their endorsement of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) project in the northern part of the country.

The chiefs who represented the three regions were Naa Prof John S. Nabila, President of the National House of Chiefs, Naa S.D Gore II, Upper West Regional House of Chiefs President, Alhaji Haruna representing the Northern Regional House of Chiefs and Paga Pio Awampaga II, representing the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.

Vice President Mahama said the SADA bill had gone through the second reading in parliament and would within the year be passed to give it the legal mandate to carry out development projects towards the bridging of the gap between the north and the south.

He said government had embarked on a comprehensive programme to work on the road network in the three northern regions as a road map to the development of the area.

"Tenders are going on to work on roads from Bimbilla-Yendi-Gushegu-Bawku in the eastern corridor and Bole-Bamboi through the Upper West Region to enhance the development needs of the area."

He said SADA, when implemented, had the potential of engaging a lot of youth from the north who mostly move to the southern sector for non-existent jobs.

Naa Prof Nabila, the leader of the delegation, called on the government to consider giving them three slots on the SADA board to facilitate the acquisition and meaningful use of land.

He also pledged their support to the government to find lasting solutions to the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the country adding "We are committed to holding consultations with government officials to end the long standing issue of the Fulani herdsmen in the country."