Stephen Mahamudu Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, says the fortunes of the Region will be turned around if traditional rulers and residents worked together to solve teething problems that militate against the development of the area.

“No one will come to the Upper East and develop it for us, we will have to develop it ourselves. I know that together, we will be able to do it. I cannot do it alone, the Chiefs cannot do it alone. Together we should be able to move this Region to higher heights.”

The Minister, who is the immediate past Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, said this when he paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Nangodi Traditional area, Naba Yelzoya Kosom Asaga II in the Nabdam District.

The visit was part of his seven-day tour of all Paramount Chiefs in the Region to introduce himself to the traditional rulers, and also outline to them his vision for the development of the Region.

Mr Yakubu called on all residents of the Region to join the development “Boat of the Upper East. Don’t think that because I am NPP and Minister, you will pull me down, we are in the same boat, if I go down, you also go down, then the Region goes down.”

He said it was critical for all in the Region to work together to foster development, and propel the Region’s success devoid of political differences.

“Let’s succeed first, and when it comes to the politics, we will do it,” the Minister emphasized.

Mr Yakubu said the Region was endowed with strong, smart, and intelligent people with the capacity to attain higher heights, but expressed worry that “Sometimes, we direct our energies to things that will not help us.”

He noted that the New Patriotic Party and the Akufo-Addo led administration had a clear vision to alleviate poverty in the Region and the entire country to enable the citizenry to live comfortable lives.

Naba Asaga II in his address appealed to the Minister to help fast-track the construction of a District Hospital in the area to improve health care delivery.

He said the District was part of the selected Districts scheduled to benefit from the government’s 88 District Hospital projects across the country and urged the Minister to ensure the speedy construction of the District’s share of the hospitals.

Naba Asaga II said since the announcement of the hospital was made by the government, the area had not seen any sign of work to kick start the project and pleaded with the Minister to ensure they benefited from the project.

The Nabdam District capital, Nangodi, has a health centre that could not cater to the growing population and health needs of the people.

The Chief also highlighted some pressing needs of the District including poor road network, lack of potable drinking water, and further used the opportunity to call on members of the public to continue to adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The Minister was in the company of officials of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), Heads of security service personnel, NPP Regional, and Constituency executives.