The Coalition of Northern Ghana Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), led by the Executive Director of the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), Bismark Ayorogo has called on newly inaugurated President John Dramani Mahama to commit more resources to the development of Northern Ghana.
In a congratulatory message, the Coalition urged the President to leave a legacy of transforming Northern Ghana to ensure even and balanced national development.
Portions of the statement read: “The Coalition equally recognizes, acknowledges, and appreciates the President’s sterling leadership during his previous administration, which saw the establishment of strong systems and structures, including a very comprehensive development blueprint developed after broad-based consultations for the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone, otherwise known as the SADA Master Plan.
The said Master Plan, which was shelved to gather dust following the change of government in 2016, remains relevant and fit for purpose. It should be revisited with significant public investment made for its effective implementation to eradicate poverty, hunger, and regional inequalities.
Interestingly and coincidentally, the SADA Master Plan aligns with some of the key policy proposals in the 2024 NDC Manifesto. These include investing in women’s empowerment, industrialization, renewable energy, and building climate-resilient irrigation infrastructure, such as the Pwalugu Dam and Phase 2 of the Tono Irrigation Project. These efforts are essential for establishing a modernized agricultural economy, improving agricultural productivity, ensuring food security, creating jobs, increasing incomes, and enhancing livelihoods.”
The Coalition further urged the new government to take advantage of the vast arable lands in Northern Ghana by developing agricultural policies aimed at creating jobs for the youth in the region.
“Northern Ghana, with 8 million hectares of arable land, has the potential not only to become the food basket of the entire country, feeding over 50 million people, but also to contribute more to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than its current annual contribution of US$10.1 billion—if it receives significant public investment devoid of corruption and mismanagement of public resources,” the statement added.
The Coalition also called on President Mahama to create more opportunities for periodic engagement with CSOs, particularly those based in Northern Ghana, to enable effective policy dialogue, prioritization, and implementation aimed at transforming lives and building a better Ghana.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | Samuel Adagom | Ghana
