Northern Regions Needs Facelift To Attract Investments

Alhaji Alhassan Sumaila, chairman of the Northern Regional Lands Commission Board on Tuesday said the Commission would ensure the judicious use of all state lands in the Tamale Metropolis to give it a face-lift.

He said due to the fast growing of Tamale as a Metropolis there was the need for the provision of modern infrastructure to replace some of the colonial edifices doted in parts of the Metropolis as means of giving it a face-lift.

Alhaji Sumaila told the GNA in an interview in Tamale on Tuesday that the Northern Region has become a haven of investment and business destination and stressed the need for modern infrastructure to attract more investors.

He said the first area that needed immediate special attention to be considered for the provision of modern infrastructure was the Northern Regional Coordinating Council road where a lot of colonial buildings marred the beauty of the ceremonial road.

“We want to consider demolishing all the colonial buildings along the ceremonial road leading to the Regional administration and we will not mind releasing those places to strategic investors such as the banks, corporate bodies and NGOs to build modern infrastructure”, he said.

“We have succeeded clearing the old Kaladan Military barracks and even though people are contesting it, I have the hope and conviction that all shall be well for development projects to begin on those lands”, he emphasised.

Alhaji Sumaila said tracts of land had also been reserved along the Tamale-Savelugu Highway, near to the airport earmarked for hotel buildings saying, “As the Tamale airport is going to be upgraded and possibly used as a second international airport, there is the need to get 5-Star hotels to be able to accommodate passengers on transit”.

He appealed to residents of the Metropolis to give it a chance to ensure many investors relocated to the area, which would solve the unemployment situation.

He advised people who were building without proper land documentation to be wary of imposters selling multiple lands, and therefore assured that the board would work hard to solve all land related cases in the region.