Bolgatanga, Nov. 6, GNA - Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, on Friday urged Ghanaians to endeavour to render selfless and dedicated service to mother Ghana to enable her to successfully attain targets in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He indicated that efforts at attaining those targets would be fruitless if the citizenry failed to offer selfless services to push the development agenda forward.

Mr Woyongo said this at an awards ceremony organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council to recognize the contributions of citizens towards the development of the region. The Council awarded seven individuals, five of them post humus, and two institutions that had contributed immensely to the development of the region.

Mr Woyongo noted that the various individuals and institutions that received recognition for their selfless contributions to the development of the region have indeed supported its growth in various ways and therefore deserved to be awarded. He expressed gratitude to organizers of the "Upper East Region at 50 Celebrations" for their efforts at ensuring that the events were successfully executed.

The award winners include Ghana's first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the architect of the region, for his wide vision and political expediency, former President Jerry John Rawlings, for his untiring efforts at ensuring that the region was considered in every aspect of development, Madam Cecilia Ayanoore Bukari, for being the first woman Member of Parliament for the region and spearheading women and children's rights issues.

Others are Dr Ayeta Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area, for sustaining the peace in the area as well as other traditional areas during his 60 years reign, and Mr Asumda Ayeebo, first Commissioner for the Region who ensured that the people appreciated democracy.

The rest are Mr Alexander Alastair Ampofo, a Chief Principal Secretary who spearheaded most of the physical infrastructural development in the region in the 1970s notably the Catering Rest House in Bolgatanga, and Pe Roland Ayagitam, Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area for supporting to draft the national Constitution of the Forth Republic.

The Catholic Church was awarded for engineering the establishment of educational institutions as well as the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for providing social amenities like water supply to the region.

Mr Kingsley Ampofo, son of Mr Alexander Alastair Ampofo, gave the assurance that the relationship between the Ampofo family and the region would be strengthened.

Mr Eric Asumda, on behalf of the Asumda family, said as part of keeping the good works of his father going, a fund had been set up in his memory to take care of the health of women at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. 6 Nov. 10