Accra, Dec. 18, GNA - The former Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo, Mr Joseph Yaani Labik, has called for the re-demarcation of the Northern Region into three to bring about peaceful co-existence and reduce the ethnic conflicts in the area.
He said the perennial conflicts among various ethnic groupings in the region was undermining and retarding development of the region because of suspicion and mistrust among the various ethnic groups. Mr Labik made the call at a press briefing with the Parliamentary Press Corps in Accra on Wednesday at which he recalled several petitions, recommendations and appeals submitted by several groups for the split of the Northern Region into two or three regions. He said to ensure lasting peace and accelerated development, the Northern Region should be re-demarcated into three regions since being the largest region in the country with one-third land mass and one of the least developed with a high illiteracy rate, high poverty levels and noted for several ethnic conflicts it faced many challenges in governance.
The former MP said the creation of the additional regions would ensure that the traditional authorities and government functionaries were capable of addressing the numerous problems besetting the region to allow for peaceful co-existence.
Mr Labik said additionally the creation of more Houses of Chiefs would ensure that the concerns of other ethnic groups to be recognised and uplifted to paramountcies would come to fruition and bring about lasting peace among the people.
He said because of the vastness of the region, the absence of communication facilities, poor road network and the long distance from the most of the districts to the regional capital posed serious concerns as problems did not often receive the quick response required.
Mr Labik said the new regions would ensure that the mistrust and suspicion among the various ethnic groups were minimised since the new arrangement would ensure that a people with common ancestral leanings and common background would strive together for their accelerated development.
He said there had often been various complaints and reactions by some ethnic groupings that felt marginalised and not recognised at the Northern Regional House of Chiefs since the presidency was rotated only among the four major ethnic groups in the region.
Mr Labik said if the proposals were implemented, they would ensure that ethnic groups united and strived together and allowed for more participation in the expansion, development and decision-making to minimise conflicts, promote development and reduce poverty and the high illiteracy among the people.
He mentioned the rapid development and peaceful co-existence that the people of the Upper West Regions were enjoying following the carving of the region from the Upper Region into two.
He suggested that the original Northern Region should encompass Tamale Municipality, Tolon/Kumbungu, Savelugu/Nanton, Yendi, Nanumba and Zabzugu /Tatale Districts with Tamale as the regional capital.
Region two to be known as North West Region should take care of West Gonja, East Gonja and Bole Districts with the creation of Kpandai and other constituencies as districts with Damongo as the regional capital. The third region should be known as the Oti Region with its capital at Gambaga, which was once the capital of the Northern territories to comprise West Mamprusi, East Mamprusi Saboba/Chereponi and the creation of new districts for Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo and the "overseas" area of the West Mamprusi District.
