The Upper East Regional Communications Directorate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned the rationale behind the exclusion of the Upper East Region from the World Bank-funded $500 million Ghana Market Access and Connectivity Project (GMACP), describing the decision as unjustifiable for one of Ghana’s leading food-producing regions.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s regional office in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional Communications Officer, Peter Ayinbisa, said the omission was deeply troubling, considering that the project is intended to improve agricultural market access through the rehabilitation of climate-resilient feeder roads, reduce post-harvest losses, lower transportation costs, and increase farmers’ incomes.
According to him, the memorandum laid before Parliament by the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, seeks approval for the World Bank facility to rehabilitate approximately 1,050 kilometres of feeder roads across 13 beneficiary regions. However, he noted that the Upper East Region had been left out despite its enormous contribution to Ghana’s agricultural production.
Mr. Ayinbisa cited major farming districts, including Builsa South, known for rice and maize production, Bongo District, where millet, sorghum and vegetables are cultivated, and the Bawku enclave, which produces onions, tomatoes and peppers for markets across northern Ghana and neighbouring Burkina Faso.
He argued that poor feeder roads continue to increase transportation costs, reduce farm-gate prices and limit farmers’ incomes, adding that these were the exact challenges the project sought to address.
The Regional Communications Officer questioned the criteria used in selecting the beneficiary regions, insisting that if agricultural production, feeder road deficits and market accessibility were the benchmarks, then the Upper East Region fully qualified.
“If agricultural production, feeder road deficit, market accessibility and reproduction of post-harvest losses form the basis for selecting beneficiary regions, then the people of the Upper East Region deserve a clear explanation as to why our region has been excluded from this laudable project. We further call upon the Upper East Caucus in Parliament to account to the people of this region regarding the efforts made to secure our inclusion in the important national intervention”, he stated.
Mr. Ayinbisa appealed to the Government of Ghana, the World Bank, the Upper East Caucus in Parliament, the Regional Minister, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, farmer groups and the media to push for a review of the beneficiary list to ensure the inclusion of the region.
“This is not a request for special treatment. It is a call for fairness, equity and inclusive national development,” he stressed.
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