Northern Regions have Potentials for Development- Mrs. Awuni

Bolgatanga, Sept. 23, GNA - Mrs. Lucy Awuni, Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, has stated that the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions could easily turn around their fortunes if their human and natural resources were properly harnessed and managed.

She said the three northern regions are often associated with poverty, ignorance and want but had the unknown qualities or the potential to spearhead the nation's development.

Mrs. Awuni alluded to the northern paradox on Tuesday during the premi=E8re of a movie entitled "Vendetta" produced by Saeed Froko Production in the Upper East Region whose storyline is constructed on the migration of youth to southern Ghana in search of jobs and the problems and uncertainties that await them.

She noted that natural resources in the area needed to be exploited to help address the poverty situation in the area.

She mentioned rocks, limestone, cotton, sheanut, iron as some the natural resources adding that an upscale in the cultivation of yam, beans, maize, millet and rice and the rearing of animals would do a lot of good to the nation.

Mrs. Awuni mentioned the Tongo Hills and Shrine, Paga Crocodile Ponds, the Pekoro Slave Camp near Paga among others as some of tourist sites in the region that needed special attention to alleviate poverty.

She said the Government was more committed to the acceleration of the development of the three Northern Regions to catch up with the Southern Sector and that the introduction of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) would help address the issue of poverty in the area.

She commended the Saeed Froko production team who are mainly youth for the production of the film and that lessons from the film could help transform society for the good.

Mr. David Abangos, Upper East Regional Director of the National Youth Council, who chaired the function, also commended the youth for the laudable initiatives and said as youth, they equally had significant roles to play in national development.

Mr. Abangos challenged them to look out for initiatives that could help develop their potential and also help build the region and the nation as a whole adding that they should come out with a film on road accidents to reduce the spate of accidents in the region.

Mr. Saeed Froko, the Director of the Production, observed that the film industry in the region could do better given the necessary support as he appealed to the District Assemblies and Politicians including Members of Parliament in the Region to help the production house to come out with more educative and entertainment films.