NORPRA urges gov't to enforce SADA law now

Members of Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) wish to urge government to enforce the law that established the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) particularly section 18 0f Act 805 0f 2010 to ensure regular and reliable inflow of resources to the newly restructured, reshaped, refocused and rejuvenated SADA for sustainability.

In 2010, government under late President Mills, in a very strong commitment to make SADA work as a pro-poor national development programme, gave legal backing to the authority by the enactment of Act 805 0f 2010. Under Section 18 of this Act, government is enjoined to make annual budgetary allocations to SADA as well as raise funds from levies on non-petroleum imports as reliable source of funding for SADA. Regrettably, five years after the passage of the law, these aspects of the law are yet to be enforced hence starving the authority of the needed resources.

What is more worrying is the fact that the 2013 and 2014 Budget Allocations to SADA were not disbursed to the authority. This development is not only reducing citizens’ trust and confidence in the government but also facilitating the perception of many Ghanaians that the Mahama-led Administration is running governance of dishonesty.

Transforming the northern savannah ecological zone into place of opportunity and free from poverty as envisioned by the new SADA is the sole responsibility of the government of Ghana therefore NORPRA expects government to, as a matter of urgency, disburse all the 2013 and 2014 Budget Allocations to SADA as well as introduce levies on all non-petroleum imports into this country as funding for SADA before the end of the 2nd quarter of the year.

In conclusion, whilst trusting that government will respond positively to these demands within the specified period, we wish to state clearly that in the event of government failing to meet these demands, NORPRA will have no alternative than taking legal actions in the law courts against government to compel it comply with the provisions of the Act.

Ayorogo Adongo Bismark

(Director)

0209313630