Paga (Upper East) -President John Agyekum Kufuor has arrived at Paga in the Kassena-Nankana District from Wa to begin a three-day official visit of the Upper East Region.

He paid a courtesy call on the Paga Pio, Pe Charles Awiah Awampaga the second at his palace. He also called on the Sandem-Nab, Ayieta Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area, at Sandema.

On Thursday, the President will pay similar courtesy calls on the Bolga-Naba Martin Abilba III, and the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II. He will address two separate durbars at Bawku and Navrongo, after which he would tour the Tono Irrigation Project near Navrongo.

On the last lap of his visit on Friday, President Kufuor is scheduled to undertake familiarisation tours of the Zuarungu Meat Factory, the Pwalugu Tomato Factory and the Upper Quarry, before addressing a grand durbar of chiefs and people of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area.

Among the President's entourage are Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Moses Dani Baa, Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. R.W. Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport, and Dr. Haroun Majeed, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Others are Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, Minister of Education, Dr. Agambilla Agesika, Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Presidential spokesperson and Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State at the Office of the President

We aim to develop-President Kufuor

President John Agyekum Kufuor has said that the government would not be petty, discriminatory, or partisan in the provision of development projects in the country.

"What is in the national coffers belongs to all Ghanaians and should be used as such," he said in a speech during a courtesy call on the Paga Pio, Charles Awiah Awampaga II, at Paga.

President Kufuor who is on a three-day official visit of the Upper East Region, assured Ghanaians that government would not rest on its oars in its efforts to tackle the problem of poverty among the people.

He announced that a good senior secondary school (SSS) comparable to the well-endowed ones in the South would be established for the people of the Paga area, who presently have to send their children to Navrongo for senior secondary school education.

President Kufuor said government was giving serious consideration to the development of tourism infrastructure in the Paga area, to provide job opportunities for the people. In response to a request by the Paga Pio for a separate district, the President said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was taking a critical look at similar requests from various areas and that additional districts would be created in those areas that met the required criteria.

Other concerns raised by the Paga Pio in his welcoming address included the upgrading of the Paga Health Centre to a hospital status, the creation of an additional constituency for the area, and the opening of an inland port market at Paga to boost trade with neighbouring countries.

Mr Mahami Salifu, Upper East Regional Minister, explained that the President's visit was, among other things, to accord him the opportunity to thank the chiefs and people of the region for their massive support during the 2000 elections.

Kufuor commissions Sandema Phone Link

Sandema (Upper East) - President John Agyekum Kufuor has commissioned a newly installed telephone link at Sandema in the Builsa District. The ceremony took place at the forecourt of the chief's palace, and formally marked the arrival of radiotelephone communication in the Builsa area.

President Kufuor said the development of the country's rural communities was one of government's priority concerns and expressed the hope that the extension of telephone facilities would provide a catalyst for socio-economic development in the district.

The President, who arrived at Sandema as part of a three-day official tour of the Upper East Region, also announced government's intention to exploit the full agricultural potential of the Fumbisi Valleys and to make the area the nation's granary.

He announced that the Sandema-Fumbisi road had already been given out on contract and that when completed; it could open up the Builsa District for further development. Mr M.J. Awudu, Regional Head of the Ghana Telecom, explained that the Sandema telephone project entailed the extension of 60 lines from Bolgatanga to the area.

"So far, 30 lines have been provided and we aim at completing the whole exercise by the end of this year," he added. He was, however, not able to give the cost of the project. Earlier in a welcoming speech read for him, the Sandem-Nab, Ayieta Azantillow, appealed to government to help promote large-scale rice cultivation and livestock development in the Builsa area, particularly the Fumbisi Valley.

The Sandem-Nab said it was his intention to elevate all divisional chiefs in the traditional area to paramount status and solicited government's approval. He also urged government to help find a solution to the chieftaincy problem at Chuchuliga near Sandema, saying the problem had the potential to destabilise the hitherto peaceful atmosphere at Builsa.