Tamale, June 12, GNA- The Government of Australia has been asked to consider the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions, (the three Northern Regions), as a deprived area and to increase development assistance to that part of Ghana.

The Government has therefore been urged to exploit the enormous agricultural potentials, and mineral resources such as lime deposits in Buipe in the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region, to the benefit of the people.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, made the appeal when Mr. Job Richardson, the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Tamale on Monday. He called for the initiation of more projects, especially those that would ensue the development of women and children and other vulnerable groups, to help alleviate poverty in the three regions. Alhaji Idris commended the Government of Australian for contributing to the development of Ghana over the years. He expressed hope that the bond of friendship and cooperation between Ghana and Australia would be sustained for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Mr. Richardson said the Australian Government was helping to develop the education and water sectors in the three Northern regions to improve the standards of living of the people.

In a related development, Mr. Richardson commissioned 180 million cedis block for the Zougu T.I. Ahamadiya Primary School at Zatoyili, a community near Tamale.

He commended the people for their self-help spirit and noted that their culture and tolerance contributed immensely to the deepening of democracy in the country.

Mr. Richardson was enskined the Malbu-Na of Zatoyili in appreciation of his contribution to the development of the community. The project executed with funds from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) with support from the Australian Government, which also provided the school with tables.

Mr. Richardson would on Wednesda y commission a borehole for the people of the Jana, in the Tamale Metropolis. Mr. Haruna Iddrissu, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, advised parents to send their children to school, reminding them that the best legacy parents could bequeath to their children was good education.