The chief of Kandiga in the Kasena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, Naaba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego, has called on government to create a separate district for the seven villages that make up the area.
Naaba Abawine Amenga-Etego also wants the creation of a separate constituency out of the 118 branches carved out of the East, North and West Zones of the area.
The chief made the call during his speech at the maiden edition of the Kandiga Youth Homecoming held at the forecourt of the Atiyoorum Primary School on Saturday. According to the Naaba Abawine Amenga-Etego, who was flanged by other dignitaries and invited guest, the geographical demarcation of Kandiga characterized by rivers and the language barrier has impeded the smooth administration of the area. He therefore believes the creation of a separate district will bring the needed development in the area.
He said their long time request to have a district of their own when realized, will allow for a better concentration on matters and the developmental agenda of the area which has been very slow in the past years.
In the run-up to the 2016 general election, Vice President Alhaji Mahammud Bawumia, then running mate on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Mirigu Naaba’s Palace pledged to grant the chiefs and people of the area a separate district. He reminded and asked government not to renege on their campaign promise.
The chief also appealed to government to help end the water challenge in the area. The Kandiga community made up of eighteen sub-communities suffers a great challenge of accessing portable drinking water. The community largely depends on the only dam in the area for all its water needs, a situation which is diversely affecting the lives and development of the area.
“The Kandiga community is made up eighteen sub-communities yet one cannot boast of proper surviving dam to take care of their water needs, a situation which is diversely affecting the lives of the people as water is crucial for the development of every community”.
On government’s vision of constructing one dam in every village, Naaba Abawine Amenga-Etego entreated government to desilt the only dam in the area to enable farmers engage in dry season irrigation farming which is a source of livelihood to his people. He added that the renovation of the dam will be a push in the right direction for the development of the Kandiga area and an idea that will be greatly welcomed.
“It is glaring that the only major dam located in central Kandiga which acted as a source of livelihood to many of our farmers in the area of irrigation is totally silted and needs to be worked on. The vision of government to construct dams in every district is therefore a welcomed idea”. He stated.
Member of the Kandiga Youth Association and Community Opinion Leader, Wilfred Akapanga said “the aim of the homecoming is to forge the development agenda of Kandiga and to unify the people. He urged the people of Kandiga both home and away to market themselves to sell the good name of the community.
Speaking on the sideline, the Youth Leader of the association, Abogro Michael said the association has put in place various intervention that will check the spate of rural urban migration the youth in the area turn to in the search for greener pastures. He explained that the interventions that will be rolled out are in line with most government policies that seek to reduce youth unemployment in the country.
The homecoming was on the theme; Defining the development goals of Kandiga, the role of the youth. It brought together sons and daughters of Kandiga from home and away.
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