The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Bawku West, James Ayamwego, has renewed calls for the elevation of the district to municipal status, describing the delay as unjustified and detrimental to development.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Mr. Ayamwego indicated that although Bawku West currently operates as a district, it meets all the required benchmarks for a municipality, including population size and economic contribution. With an estimated population of about 152,000, the district already exceeds the threshold needed for municipal consideration.
He noted that remaining a district has placed Bawku West at a disadvantage, particularly in terms of access to resources and development opportunities from central government. According to him, disparities continue to exist because the district has not been upgraded despite qualifying several years ago.
Addressing the reasons behind the delay, the DCE attributed the situation largely to political factors. He pointed out that at the time Sandema was elevated to municipal status, Bawku West was at a comparable level, if not ahead, in terms of population and development indicators. However, while Sandema now enjoys municipal status, Bawku West remains unchanged. He suggested that the absence of strong political backing in earlier years may have stalled the process.
“I believe largely it is political—political in the sense that at the time Sandema was upgraded to a municipality, Zebilla was almost at the same level or even had a larger population than Sandema. But currently, Sandema is a municipality while Bawku West is not. I will tell you it is political,” he said.
Mr. Ayamwego revealed that renewed efforts are underway to secure the upgrade, with strong advocacy from the Member of Parliament for the area. He expressed confidence that Bawku West would be included in the next batch of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to be upgraded.
“The Member of Parliament is pushing hard to ensure that in the next batch of MMDA upgrades, the Bawku West District will not be left out,” he said.
He further justified the call by highlighting the district’s strategic importance to the Upper East Region. Bawku West, he said, occupies about 12 percent of the region’s total land area, making it one of the largest districts in terms of size.
Economically, the district plays a critical role in regional food security. It is a leading producer of cereals, vegetables and livestock, contributing significantly to the Upper East Region’s food basket.
“If you look at our local economy, Bawku West District contributes largely to the food basket of the region,” he said.
A substantial proportion of tomatoes sold in regional markets originate from Bawku West, alongside nearly half of the onions traded. The district also ranks first in the production of cereals and livestock, according to the DCE.
Given these contributions, Mr. Ayamwego maintained that Bawku West has strong justification to demand municipal status and, by extension, a fairer share of national resources to support its growing population and economic potential.
“We have every reason to demand a municipality. We have every reason to demand a better share of whatever comes from the central government,” he said.
He emphasized that upgrading the district would not only reflect its current realities but also accelerate development and improve service delivery for residents.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Gifty Eyram Kudiabor | Bolgatanga
