Mr. Gabriel Agambila, a prominent opinion leader in the diaspora, has commended the Ministry of Local Government for upgrading several district assemblies to municipal and metropolitan assemblies. The upgrades include:

•Offinso North, Birim North, and Karaga District Assemblies, which have now attained Municipal Assembly status.

•New Juaben, Wa, and Ho Municipal Assemblies, which have been elevated to Metropolitan Assemblies.

While praising the initiative, Mr. Agambila has raised concerns about the criteria used for these upgrades. He questioned why more populous areas like the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga, and Navrongo have been overlooked despite their significant populations.

Mr. Agambila appealed to the Ministry of Local Government to include Bolgatanga in the upgrades, arguing that the Upper East Region has long been sidelined in terms of national development. He lamented that even the newly created regions are faring better in terms of infrastructure and resources.

“It is time for the people of the Upper East Region to wake up from their slumber. We must demand our fair share of development and fight for the elevation of Bolgatanga to metropolitan status,” he said.

Mr. Agambila also urged regional leaders and intellectuals to prioritize the development of the region instead of focusing on personal interests. “Our education and political careers are meaningless if we don’t fight for the interests of the region and the Bonaboto area,” he added.

Additionally, he appealed to the Regional House of Chiefs to expedite the resolution of the chieftaincy dispute in Bolgatanga before the end of the year. He noted that the absence of a paramountcy for Bolgatanga Central is a significant hindrance to progress, as metropolitan assemblies receive different logistics and resources compared to municipal assemblies.

Mr. Agambila’s message was a clarion call for unity and advocacy to ensure that the Upper East Region is not left behind in Ghana’s development agenda.