Regional News of Monday, 5 January 2004

Source: GNA

Don't politicise creation of districts and constituencies - Baah

Fielmua (U/W), Jan. 5, GNA - Mr. Moses Dani Baah, Deputy Minister of Health has stated that the creation of new districts and constituencies was a workable strategy taken by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to link up the government and the governed.

He said some districts and constituencies were so large that politicians could not reach out to all the people even within four years and so the creation of more of those would make it easier for them to visit and become acquainted to their challenges.

Mr Dani Baah who stated this at Fielmua during the annual celebration of "Kukur Baghr" festival of the chiefs and people of Fielmua in the Sissala District, therefore called those who opposed to the new creations not to politicise and pollute the minds of their electorate.

"All aspects of the creations are geared towards the rapid development of areas, which hitherto could have been lagging behind for years although we need to spend more money."

He said most of the rural communities had been without basic social amenities for long and so making them cons tituencies and districts could qualify them to enjoy those amenities.

Mr Dani Baah expressed satisfaction that for the first time in over ten years, Kanton Secondary School at Tumu had over 30 Students qualifying to pursue tertiary courses in the country. He appealed to the people in the area to reciprocate government's efforts at building schools and other projects by sending their children to school.

"We shall remain and continue to wallow in abject poverty for a long-time if we do not take opportunity of the numerous development projects the government is undertaking," he concluded.

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister commended the people of Fielmua and Fielmua Area Development Association (FADA) for undertaking development projects on their own.

He warned against cross-border smuggling of goods as that could cripple revenue generation activities of the assembly.

Mr Joseph Tanye, Vice Chairman of FADA, called for the opening of a West African Examination Centre at Fielmua to save JSS students from travelling to Tumu for the exams every year.