Split Northern Region - Minister designate

Mr Ben Bukari Salifu, Minister-designate for Northern Region said on Thursday that he would support a division of the region into two to ease administration and get development closer to the people.

Answering questions before the Appointments Committee of Parliament, which screened him for his appointment Mr Salifu said the region, the largest in the country, would benefit from such a split because its vast economic potentials could be more easily identified and harnessed.

He said the division must however follow the constitutional provisions on the creation of regions.

Mr Salifu said it would be his priority to halt the imbalance in the development of the region by providing access roads to the western half, particularly the West Gonja and Bole districts which have been at the ebb of development.

He also promised to open up the Mole National Park and turn it into a worthy foreign exchange earner in the tourism industry.

Mr Salifu said he would cultivate the goodwill of the media to change public perception of the region as notorious for conflicts by directing their focus of reportage on the positive rather than the negative adding, "there is conflict in every part of the country."

In an effort to entrench conflict prevention, he said he would talk to the chiefs to give preference to dialogue and in addition launch a massive campaign to educate the people about the advantages of peaceful co-existence.

Responding to a question by Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni, NDC-Kumbungu on the migration of young female head porters (Kaya Yei) from the region to the cities, Mr Salifu said the trend could only be reversed if the national economy improves.

"There is child labour in every region and this can only stop if the economy improves and the poverty level is reduced.

"We cannot fix barriers to prevent them from travelling," he said.

While lauding the extension of the national electricity grid to the north, in answer to a question from Mr John Mahama, the minister-designate regretted the difficulties the people face in paying the bills.

He said the standard of living of the people of the region, majority of whom are farmers, would improve if they are assisted with modern farming techniques to move away from subsistence to mechanised farming.