Minister appeals to associations to promote peace

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, the Upper West Regional Minister, has cautioned development associations against any tendency of using their activities to foment trouble and confusion in the communities.

He said the government and the people would much appreciate it if they geared their efforts towards resolving chieftaincy, political and religious disputes which have the potential of disturbing the peace and security of the region.

Alhaji Sulemana said this at the Ninth general meeting of the Bawiesibelle Youth and Development Association during the weekend.

He said development associations in the region should work to strengthen and to sustain the peace in their localities and also allow their discussions and plans to cover broader developmental issues.

“We should focus on discussing positive issues that can promote the general well-being of the area in particular and the district at large” Alhaji Sulemana advised.

Alhaji Sulemana said the Nabulo/Duu portion of the road had been awarded on contract while efforts were being made to award the Duu/Bawiesibelle part of the road on contract.

He said a number of communities in the Bawiesibelle area had been earmarked to benefit from the Special Rural Electrification Project which would be delivered in the last quarter of the year.

Alhaji Sulemana said the school feeding programme would be extended to cover the day nursery and primary schools in the community.

The District Assembly and the Ghana Education Trust Fund would soon award on contract a three-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities for the Bawiesibelle Primary School.

Alhaji Sulemana appealed to political parties and their supporters to avoid polarization of development projects and peddling of lies which had the tendency of causing disaffection among the people.

Alhaji Sulemana expressed dissatisfaction about the perennial migration of hardworking youth from the communities to the south, and appealed to opinion leaders and development associations to come out with development plans and programmes to help reduce the trend.

He said elopement of girls had negative consequences as it contributed to low education acquisition which fuelled poverty and delinquency among the youth.

The Bawiesibelle Kuoru, Bajadomo Fentuo, appealed to government to work on the roads in the area and also take rural development and agriculture seriously to better the lives of the people.**