Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister on Thursday said the creation of new districts nationwide meant accelerated development at the local level.

He noted that participatory governance at the local level called for decentralizing resources and power to the people and that would speed up development to local communities.

Mr. Woyongo made the observation at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Fumbisi when he inaugurated the newly created Builsa South District on behalf of the President, in the Upper East Region.

He said the Builsa South District would benefit from massive infrastructural development as the construction of an integrated millennium village to include schools, health facilities, agriculture and roads was to be cited between the Builsa South and Mamprusi West districts.

He said by 2018, the Sisile Kulpong Irrigation Scheme would be commissioned to generate electricity and irrigate large farms to increase food production and boost economic development in the area.

He indicated that a District Resourcing Programme and a Basic Need Strategy were being worked out within the Public-Private Partnership strategy to provide each new district assembly with office block, assembly hall, bungalows for DCEs, two senior high schools and district hospital amongst other facilities.

Mr. Norbert Awulley, District Chief Executive for Builsa, called on the chiefs and people to ensure a successful and peaceful running of the district.

He said prudent strategies would be initiated to generate funds internally to complement government’s efforts and surmount the numerous developmental challenges in the district.

He said the chiefs of the area had demonstrated support for the new district by releasing land for the establishment of permanent structures for the new assembly and called for continuous cooperation by officials and local authorities for accelerated development.

Mr. Alhassan Azong, Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Builsa, said the creation of the district had brought with it some hope and excitement to the people.

He therefore called on all to desist from divisive tendencies that would retard their development.

The euphoria at the ceremony demonstrated the readiness of the chiefs and people for peace and development of their communities. Three other districts were inaugurated at Nabdan, Binduri and Pusiga, all in the Upper East Region.**