Youth must serve as crusaders for Savanna Region – DCE

The District Chief Executive for Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, Lawal Tamimu, has called on all the youth of Gonjaland to be crusaders for the creation of the proposed Savanna Region.

This he said the youth can do by accepting the need for the creation of the new region and educating the citizenry on the need to support this brilliant idea to divide the Northern region into two or more regions.

"The youth must be trumpeting the relevance of the new region and educating the electorates to come out in their numbers on the day of the referendum to vote massively YES in favour of the course of the Savanna Region, "Mr. Tamimu reiterated.

The Honorable DCE made these remarks in Sawla the District capital of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District during a stakeholder meeting with the members of the Coordinating Committee from Gonjaland responsible for the creation of the Savanna Region.

He noted that according to the 2010 population and housing census report, Northern region alone occupies an area of about 70,384 square kilometers, making it the largest in Ghana in terms of land mass, therefore making it very difficult to manage administratively.

He added, "It is obvious that in modern times, efficiency and effectiveness are necessary for sustainable development and by extension, the current Northern Region is far from achieving these parameters because, the size is much bigger and the distance between majority of the districts from the regional capital also makes it virtually impossible for the regional actors to undertake effective monitoring and supervision."

Mr. Tamimu disclosed that, the size of the region has contributed to the high infrastructural gap in the region. This also makes it difficult to tap the socio-economic potentials the region abounds in, culminating into the impoverishment of the people over the years.

He therefore on behalf of the youth of the district and Gonjaland in general affirmed their commitment and readiness to support the committee to achieve its ultimate objective. And that the creating of a new region comes with a lot of benefits, though with initial challenges which may seem frightening in a way.

Infrastructural facilities of the regional capitals according to him, easily boost up to attract both local and foreign businesses that will open up more opportunities for socio-economic development across the region, saying this is capable of creating enabling economic environment for the youth and other people to explore their potentials for the growth of the local economy across the region.



He assured the readiness of the assembly level support to the process of creating the new region and that the assembly will continue to respond to any call when necessary to facilitate the process. He announced an intention to partner with the Education Committee responsible for the creation of the Savanna Region in order to spread the massage to secure more than 50% voter turnout, to obtain more than 80% of valid votes cast and ensure that the creation of the proposed Savanna Region is successful.

He launched a passionate appeal to all interested parties in the struggle to foster unity in diversity among all ethnic groups in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District and the entire Gonjaland and also called on all to intensify their lobbying within and outside the Region to maximize the full outcome of the process.

The stakeholder meeting was attended by Buipewura Jinapor II, Vice President of Gonja traditional Council who is the supervising chairman for the coordinating committee, the Kongwura Jenkurige I, the Chairman for the Finance Committee responsible for the creation of the region, representatives from the Jakpa Palace, representatives from the various ethnic groups in the Sawla district, Assembly members and other key stakeholders.