Tamale, August 4, GNA - Fifteen out of the 18 District Chief Executives in the Northern Region were on Thursday sworn into office at a ceremony in Tamale. Tamale and Yendi are scheduled to hold their District Assembly elections on August 11 while the government is yet to nominate a District Chief Executive for Savelugu/Nanton.

The District Chief Executives are: Mr. Yakubu Zakaria, Central Gonja, Mr. James Kipo, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, Madam Elizabeth Salamatu Forgor, Bole, Madam Janet Jambia Alhassan, West Gonja and Mr. Abudu Amadu Musah, East Gonja.

Others are: Mr. Sunyeni Wumbie Wahad, Tolon-Kumbungu, Mr. Baba Wahab, Karaga, Mr. Mahama Abukari, Gushiegu, Mr. Sanda Imoro Azumah, Saboba/Chereponi, Alhaji Yakubu Bukari, Zabzugu-Tatale and Mr. Saeed Salifu, Nanumba North. The rest are: Mr. Thomas Donkor Ogajah, Nanumba South, Mr. Peter Wuni East Mamprusi, Mr. Nabila Sulemana, West Mamprusi Madam Pijit Poyari Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo. Addressing the DCEs, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface warned them to be circumspect in the area of contracts. He urged them to discard the idea that they were coming into office to make money through the award of contracts, saying: " all contracts must be awarded in conformity will the new Public Procurement and Financial Laws or else you will get yourself into trouble." Alhaji Boniface appealed to the DCEs to instill discipline, transparency, honesty and accountability in public business transactions to cut down waste of resources. He reminded them of the conflict in the region, which, he said, had impeded development, and advised them to act as agents of peace and reconciliation in the communities. The Regional Minister urged the DCEs to avoid politics of "exclusion and winner takes all" saying, "we are all Ghanaians and everybody has the birth and constitutional right to benefit from the collective effort." "There should therefore, be no discrimination on the grounds of political difference, religion, chieftaincy, ethnicity or other divisive considerations."

Alhaji Boniface appealed to the DCEs and the District Assemblies to spearhead the crusade against poverty by encouraging the youth to go into agriculture to improve their living conditions. He therefore, tasked each DCE and the Assembly to acquire land and make it available to the youth to undertake mango and cashew production to enhance their incomes.

Mr. Yakubu Zakaria, the Central Gonja District Chief Executive, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the government for the trust reposed in them and the Assembly Members for endorsing their nominations. He gave the assurance that he and his colleagues would not disappoint the government and called for the cooperation of the public, especially traditional rulers and the youth, to ensure smooth administration of the Districts. Aug. 04 05