By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), May 16, GNA – The Upper West Regional House of Chiefs (UWRHC) has urged President John Dramani Mahama to make deliberate efforts to include traditional leaders in the governance process, particularly at the local government level.
It said successive legislations and constitutional provisions recognised the important roles the chieftaincy institution played in the country’s administration and management of local resources.
Kuoro Abu Diyaka Sukabe Ninia, the Vice President of the UWRHC, said this when he addressed a durbar in Wa during the “Thank You” tour of President Mahama to the Upper West Region.
“We will appeal to the government to give true meaning to the provision made by law to consult with traditional authorities to appoint 30 per cent of members to the Municipal and District Assemblies in accordance with…the Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936), as amended”, he explained.
Kuoro Ninia observed that this was necessary not only because the traditional leaders knew the people they governed better, but it had also become more paramount as the chieftaincy institution had been added to the local government ministry.
He also entreated the President to ensure he appointed people of trust into positions of leadership at all levels to create a culture of patriotism and cultivate a system for sustainable growth and assured him of the support of the UWRHC.
Kuoro Ninia also appealed to the President to provide the needed infrastructure for the SDD University of Business and Integrated Development Studies and the Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University to enable them function effectively and increase students’ intake.
“These universities have been deprived of both lecture halls and student hostels for quite a long time. As chiefs, we plead on behalf of our people and authorities to deliberately focus on solving these challenges in these universities”, he stated.
On his part, Reverend Dr. Alfred Kpientaa, the Upper West Regional Chairperson of the Local Council of Churches, appealed to President Mahama to take immediate steps to rehabilitate the deplorable roads linking the region to the rest of the country.
They included the Hamile-Lawra-Wa-Sawla-Bole-Techiman-Kumasi and the Wa-Tumu-Bolgatanga roads.
The Rev. Pastor also prayed for God’s guidance and protection for the President and his government to govern the nation in the best interest of Ghanaians.
Responding to the requests, President Mahama said he would ensure that the library complex, lecture halls and students’ hostel projects initiated by the late President Atta Mills’ regime were completed.
The President also said the construction and rehabilitation of the roads were under the Big Push programme.
He assured the people that funds had been allocated to those projects and that work on the roads was expected to start soon.
GNA
CAE/CA