Northern NGO kicks against ministerial reshuffle

The Northern Youth for Peace and Development, a Non Governmental Organization has described President John Mahama’s decision to reassign the Upper West Regional Minister Mr. Bede Zeden to head the northern region as misplaced priority.

Ahead of the reshuffle, the organization and other pressure groups mounted pressure on President Mahama to appoint a substantive minister for the area.

Making his first cabinet reshuffle, the President reassigned Mr. Bede Zeden to the Northern Region which has been tagged as one of the hotspots in the country.

Executive Director for the Northern Youth for Peace and Development, Prince Hardi Adams told Citi News though President Mahama heeded to their calls, the choice of Bede Zeden was misplaced.

“The reshuffle the President did is because of the northern region; so because he fears pressure from the various groups who chased him to appoint somebody for the region, that doesn’t mean he should go and bring Bede Zeden who does not know the area.”

He implored the President to reconsider his decision and appoint somebody who is acquainted with the geo-political dynamics of the northern region.

“He should be on his feet and appoint somebody from the region who will bring meaningful development to our poor region and not Bede Zeden who will worsen our situation.”

But in a sharp rebuttal, outspoken NDC youth activist in Tamale, Mohammed Aboagye described the President’s decision as a step in the right direction.

He said the region needed a person who will play a neutral role in handling the unabated conflicts which have stagnated the region’s development agenda.

“We ought to thank the President for taking that decision because the northern region is a difficult area and in choosing a regional minister one ought to be very careful and we think the President has done the right thing by appointing Hon. Bede Zeden.”

Mohammed Aboagye explained, “We have several conflicts be they within the Dagombas, Gonjas, Mamprusis, Konkombas or Bimobas and in choosing a regional minister for the area one needs to do enough consultations and choose someone who will not take sides; Hon. Bede Zeden is somebody who will not meddle in any of the conflicts to incur the wrath of the different tribes.”

He therefore appealed to the opposing groups to endorse the President’s decision and rally behind Mr. Bede Zeden to deliver in line with the better Ghana agenda.

Some residents of Tamale, the northern regional capital expressed different opinions on Mr. Bede Zeden’s appointment.

Elsewhere in the Upper West Region, a pressure group known as the Concerned Youth of the NDC also commended President John Mahama for reshuffling the regional ministers.

On the eve of the reshuffle, the group went on rampage in WA in protest against the appointment of the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Nadowli District, Abu Kasambata as Deputy Upper West Regional Minister.

The group’s Spokesperson, Adam Nuhu in an interview implied, “We are pleased with the President’s decision to bring a new person to our region and the incoming minister should bring everybody on board to administer the region.”

He however said the group had not changed its opposition to the appointment of Mr. Kasambata.