Sometime around this time last year, they were full of hope after they made themselves and the Upper Region proud for the first time in the region’s history.
It was joy for the region and joy for the people who had over the years fought for a Premier League club but to no avail.
Qualifying for the Premier League to everybody that heard the story was an economic booster to the tortoise paced economy of the Upper East region. The potential for boosting tourism and to market players to the international market were some of the advantages that came with it.
But that was not to be. Regardless of several calls for support from the team that had at least projected the name of the Upper East region and had the potential of selling the region to the outside world and also create some sort of employment for the teeming unemployed youth who resort to playing cards as a profession, no help came in.
Some people who could have helped gave several flimsy excuses and left the team to suffer on its own. Failure of the region to ready the “stadium” for the team, they had to travel away to Tamale for their home games; a move that further frustrated them.
Players and officials of Bolgatanga All Stars suffered several humiliation. Players had to squeeze in 207 and Sprinter buses for matches outside the Northern territory and were made subjects of ridicule among their peers.
The frustrations became enormous that managers and handlers of the team had to give the team out for a paltry amount because the financial burden became bigger than they could handle.
Two wins, six draws and 21 losses meant Bolga All Stars were also confirmed for relegation even before matchday 30. And it was not the best of goodbyes as the bottom-placed side suffered a 4-1 home defeat to fourth-positioned Ebusua Dwarfs.
The team as a result today have been demoted back to First Division football.
Like the Bolga All Stars team, the Upper East region suffers similar fate with several challenges leaders of the region are indifferent about. They talk about them and know them but nothing or little seems to be done about it.
Traffic Lights and street lights could go off for months but they won’t be repaired. It takes the visit of the President to remind leaders of the region of the need to fix street and traffic lights which are a necessity to the people.
The region tops in open defecation and that does not seem to be a worry to the citizenry as each day people continue to build houses without toilet facilities. They build with the aim of occupants using the bush as a place for defecating. Such mentality leaves much to be desired of a people who want to see the forward going of the beloved region.
Some Senior High Schools which are supposed to be boarding schools are left lawless with students roaming throughout the day. Nothing seems to be done about this and leaders of the region act like they have not seen these students roaming.
Like Bolga All Stars who were left to their fate to suffer and at the end have been relegated, the Upper East region has been left to suffer as leaders and citizens sit and are indifferent about the state of development in the region.
Until we rise and realize the need for the growth of the region, the region will continue to be part of the most poorest in the country, will continue to top open defecation, the youth will play cards as a profession and life will continue to be unbearable.
source:a1radioonline.com