The Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Paulina Abayage, has called on chiefs in the region to rally their people to support the Akufo-Addo government to achieve its development targets for the region.

According to her, sitting on the fence to criticize the government and wishing that the government fails will go against the entire region and not just the government or the New Patriotic Party (NPP) alone.

Ms Abayage was speaking at the Palace of the Paramount Chief of the Naaga Traditional Area, who happens to be the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs – Naba Bosingo Orlando Ayamga Awuni III – to commence her courtesy calls on traditional leaders in the Upper East Region.

The regional minister said government acknowledges the role of chiefs in the development of the region and urged chiefs in the region to monitor keenly the development of the region under the Akufo-Addo government. She told them not to hesitate to give suggestions that would help develop their communities and towns as well as the region.

Ms Abayage also called on the Chief of Kologu Traditional Area, Naba Clifford Asobayire Abagna, whose traditional area lies along the Navrongo-Naaga-Kologu road mentioned in the 2019 budget presented in Parliament by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on November 15, 2018.

She assured the chiefs and people in the towns and communities along the roads that were mentioned in the 2019 budget that government is committed to working on roads to make travelling less stressful and shorter and also open them up for trade.

“Government is committed to all projects and programmes it has promised. I want us to take advantage of the Free SHS programme to educate our children. For some of us, we were educated because of free education and we should not deny our children this opportunity.

“Government is introducing the “Rearing for Jobs” programme which is also under the agricultural sector; please let us take advantage of it to improve our livelihood. Almost all the social interventions being implemented by this government are meant to benefit us more, and that is why I am pleading with you all to unite and ensure the success of these interventions,” she pleaded.

At the Navro-Pio Palace in Navrongo, the newly enskinned Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area, Pe Dennis Aniakwa Beliana Adda Asapare III, advised the new regional minister to be wary of sycophants even as she operates an open-door administration.

He promised that the traditional authorities in the paramount area would support the government in its bid to develop the Kassena-Nankana area, but would also not hesitate to criticize constructively as and when the need arises.

Naba Bosingo Orlando Ayamga Awuni III charged all chiefs to take interest in the education of their people and commended government for introducing the Free SHS and the associated double-track system of enrollment.

He, however, urged government not to rest after creating access for more children to gain admission into secondary schools; rather, government should focus on addressing the many challenges that have been identified with regard to the Free SHS programme and the double-track system.