Regional News of Wednesday, 31 May 2006

Source: GNA

PNC regional executive asks government to fulfil its promise

Techiman (B/A), May 31, GNA - Mr Bauh G. Inusah, Brong Ahafo Deputy Regional Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC) has called on the government to honour its pledge made at the National Congress of the Gonja Land Youth Association held in Damango in 2003. He said the government promised to tar the Fufulso (Damango Junction) to Sawla road by the end of 2004 but has failed, saying, the road has not seen any improvement.

Mr Inusah, who was the Parliamentary candidate for the PNC in the 2004 General Elections in the Yapei/Kasawgu in Central Gonja noted with concern, the statement by Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Private Sector Reforms in the selection of beneficiaries for the millennium challenge account.

He said Dr Nduom in the statement said the MCA was to benefit the people in the Northern Region and was primarily based on the poverty profiles and the Agricultural potential of the area.

He mentioned Savelugu Nanton, Tolon Kumbugu, Tamale, Karaga and West Mamprusi as selected districts for the programme, but was however surprise that the Gonja Traditional Area, which had five districts and equally on the poverty line had been left out from the programme. He was critical, of the injustice the government had done to the Gonja Traditional Area, adding that, out of the five districts selected under the programme, four districts were selected from the Dagbon Traditional Area to the detriment of the Gonja land.

Mr Inusah observed that Dr Kwesi Nduom, knew the various districts in the Northern Region, and was aware of the poverty prone areas, citing instance where most farmers from West Mamprusi and other areas, cross over to Gonja land to do their farming activities and should have been considered under MCA programme.

He also reiterated the need for the government to be circumspect in the selection of the beneficiaries of the MCA in the district, such as the Gonja Traditional Area in order that fair play and justice could be seen to being administered under the programme.