Bulengna (U/W), Nov 29, GNA - The Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Saturday advised the people of the Upper West Region not to allow themselves to be divided by politics and religion.

"Politicians will use all kinds of languages that could even engage you in conflicts with your brothers and sisters, but it is left with you to sieve the politics of development from the politics of lies and deceit".

He said this when he addressed a mini-durbar of chiefs and elders of the Chakali Traditional Area of the Wa District as part of activities marking his three-day working visit to the region.

Alhaji Aliu who is in his second day of the three-day visit to the region said he was not happy that the people of the region were divided by land, chieftaincy, religious and political disputes instead of working hard to fight against poverty, the common enemy.

"Most people in the North are poor because of the high level of illiteracy and ignorance and we cannot continue to compound these problem by engaging ourselves in unnecessary disputes," he added.

The Vice President said the creation of more districts was on course and that the government was scrutinizing all applications to grant the offer to areas that were qualified.

Mr. S.S. Hamidu, an opinion leader of the area in a speech read on behalf of the Bulengna Naa, commended the government for sinking more bore holes in the area to help eradicate guinea worm and other water borne diseases.

He however appealed to government to provide the area with a senior secondary school, a separate district to be known as Wa East District, and to rehabilitate roads to enable the people transport their foodstuffs to marketing centres.

Alhaji Aliu earlier called on the chief Imam of Wa, the Yeri-Naa, Chief of the Zongo community at Wa, the Catholic Bishops of Bitre and Busa communities and the University of Developmental Studies, Wa campus, and interacted with staff and students there,

At all the communities, the people commended government for its developmental efforts and appealed to the authorities for more development projects.