The newest pledge made by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama to create a new region in the Upper East has been denounced as mere propaganda by Maxwell Aburiya, the organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Bolgatanga Central constituency.
John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced plans to create a new region from the Upper East Region if elected.
During a visit to the Bawku Naba’s palace in the Upper East Region, Mahama revealed that a proposal has been submitted to the Speaker of Parliament through the Member of Parliament for Bawku, Mahama Ayariga.
Mahama argued that the new region would address pressing issues like the ongoing security crisis in the Bawku area and create more job opportunities.
He emphasised that the creation of new regions and districts is intended to decentralise governance and improve security.
But in a press statement a copy to Daily Searchlight, Mr. Maxwell said that former president Mahama’s pledge to establish a new region in the Upper East has been demonstrated to be untrue and untrustworthy.
According to him, “an analysis of the 2021 population and housing census reveals that the North East Region has a total population of approximately 605,875, while the six constituencies in Bawku have a population of around 478,951. This highlights the flaws in the former President’s comparison and raises questions about his competence. It is essential to recall that during his tenure, chiefs from his region petitioned for a new region, which he denied. This makes his current promise to the people of Upper East or Bawku ring hollow”.
He feels that Zug-Raan Naba Asigri Abugrago (chief) and the decent people of Bawku were duped by the former president.
Mr. Maxwell continued. that it will be suicidal to allow such a person to lead this country.
Read Mr. Maxwell’s full statement as it was released below.
The recent promise by former President Mahama to create a new region in the Upper East has been exposed as misleading and lacking credibility.
An analysis of the 2021 population and housing census reveals that the North East Region has a total population of approximately 605,875, while the six constituencies in Bawku have a population of around 478,951. This highlights the flaws in the former President’s comparison and raises questions about his competence. It is essential to recall that during his tenure, chiefs from his own region petitioned for a new region, which he denied. This makes his current promise to the people of Upper East or Bawku ring hollow.
Therefore, it will be suicidal to allow such a person to lead this country. The question we ask is why should a former president look into the eyes of Zug-Raan Naba Asigri Abugrago(Chief) and throw up such a lie?. If our former president had soon forgotten during 2009, chiefs from his own region wrote several petitions under NDC’s regime as vice president and president to get them a new region, which hev(John mahama) incompetently denied them.
Mr. Former president, what moral authority or right do you have to promise the good people of Upper East or Bawku a new region when you know very well that you’re deceiving us?. In contrast, it was President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who successfully created two new regions in Northern Ghana, namely Savannah and North East Region.
Mr. Former president, for your education, a closer examination of the population growth and land size between the North East Region and the Upper East Region reveals significant disparities. The North East Region covers 9,070 km, while the Upper East Region covers 8,842 km.
Mr. Former president, this is for your take home. The land size between North East and the entire Upper East Region, North East Region covers a total of 9,070 km’2 , whiles the Upper East Region also covers a total land size of 8,842 km’2.
Mr former President, where lies your insincerity comparison between these two regions most especially, the Bawku zone and North East Region?
Furthermore, Mr. President, the Bolga-Bawku-Polimakom road, which was promised to be tarred during the former President’s tenure, remains unfulfilled. It is the only road in the history of this country that sod was cut twice. The contract was in August (Year), and the contractor moved to the site in October, two months to the elections. At the time, this was happening, all the MPs on that stretch were NDC MPs and that is a fact that John Mahama cannot run away from, yet haven’t promised the Zug-Raan(chief) that, the next samapii he was going to tarred or asphalt the road, this never happened yet this is a region that remains loyal to the NDC.
Mr. Former president, my harmless advisor to you and your team, is for you to stop your 419 promises and your unexplained 24-hour economy it will help you and your team. In excess, we advise the former President and his team to refrain from making unrealistic promises and focus on credible solutions.
Report By: Francis MENSAH ( Adwenpa-Hene)