The Sissala Union has expressed deep disappointment over what it describes as the persistent neglect of the Sissala people in ministerial and key government appointments.
In a petition addressed to President John Dramani Mahama, the group highlighted the vital contributions of the Sissala ethnic group and lamented their exclusion despite their consistent support for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The petition emphasised that Sissala land, which encompasses 11 paramountcies and constitutes two-thirds of the Upper West Region, plays a crucial role in Ghana’s agricultural sector. The region is renowned for producing high-quality maize, as confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture. It also boasts vast arable lands, rich mineral resources, and significant tourism potential.
Despite these contributions, the Sissala Union pointed out that other major tribes in the region have secured ministerial appointments, while the Sissala people have been overlooked. The group warned that this lack of representation is undermining the NDC’s support base in the area and called for immediate action to address the issue.
“The dwindling fortunes of the NDC in the Sissala Land is because, apart from one senior member of the NDC, the party has failed to provide appointment opportunities to young, brilliant, and capable people into its government since the Fourth Republic,” the petition read.
The Union further highlighted that the Sissala people have consistently secured all parliamentary seats for the NDC in previous elections, making their exclusion from government appointments deeply unacceptable.
They questioned how their Members of Parliament could continue to garner support for the party when their constituents are being overlooked in national leadership roles.
“We think this is both unacceptable and very unfortunate. How can our Members of Parliament continue to convince their people when we are marginalised in the sharing of the national cake?”
The group also expressed dismay that despite President Mahama being a native of the region, the Sissala people remain overlooked in his administration.
“There is a saying that when your mother is in the kitchen at a funeral home, you never go hungry. How will the chiefs and Sissala people feel when their sons and daughters, who are equally qualified and competent just like any other Ghanaian, are being neglected in his government?.”
The Sissala Union is urging President Mahama to reconsider his appointments and ensure that qualified Sissala individuals, including their Members of Parliament, are given the opportunity to serve in government.
In a petition signed by the Union’s President, Mahmoud Bakah Aduna, the group called on the NDC administration to address this perceived injustice as part of its broader efforts to reform Ghana’s governance structure.
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