Nandom-Kogle(UWR), May 28, GNA - Naa Sohimwine Dana Gore II, Paramount chief of the Upper West Regional house of chiefs, said chiefs in the three Northern regions regard Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) as theirs and will therefore guard it zealously.

He therefore called on the people to change their mindsets and behaviour to avoid conflicts. Naa Gore said this at the national launch of SADA post flood rehabilitation farmers support programme at Nandom-Kogle. He said: "Conflicts pertaining to chieftaincy, inter and intra religious ethnic conflicts and land disputes among others are the obstacle of the northern development". He explained that though SADA is a laudable development, it will lose its positive impact on the lives of the vulnerable if conflicts were allowed to fester amongst the people.

Mr Prince Alhassan Andani, Board Chairman of SADA, said SADA was the last hope for the north to catch up with the south in development. He said government will do all it takes to marshal resources and logistics for SADA and appealed to chiefs all other stakeholders to show their commitment towards the implementation of SADA.

Mr Ambrose Derry, Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament appealed to government to endeavour to find resources and logistics for SADA. Government promised SADA with seed capital of 20,000 Ghana cedis and 100,000 Ghana Cedis each in every subsequent year but to date has failed to fulfil it. "Put the best hunters in the lion den and give them guns without bullets you can be sure that you have done nothing to save their lives", he added. He encouraged government to provide the 500,000 Ghana cedis that was due SADA without any further delay.

Government must first show commitment to SADA to encourage other development partners to emulate her. He appealed to the people in the North to avoid conflicts of all forms and commit themselves to peace and unity. He also called for active involvement of women in the formulation and implementation process of all activities in the north.

Discrimination against women was against the development of the North because women were the back bone of any economic activity. Mr Benjamin Kunbour, Minister of Interior challenged all northerners to take the development of the north into their own hands before looking up for help from government and other development partners. He said government will create an enabling environment for northerners to develop.

He said efforts of government and development partners alone will not yield any benefit for the people if they do not avoid conflicts. Twenty farmers who lost their crops in floods last year received fertilizers and seed maize for cropping this year.