Alagumgube blasts Greater Accra Minister over “north as punishment” remark

Development advocacy group, Alagumgube, has strongly condemned comments by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, suggesting that some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly (MMDA) staff are transferred to northern Ghana as a form of punishment.

The group described the remarks as “demeaning, unfortunate and unwarranted,” arguing that they undermine the dignity of people living and working in northern Ghana.

Speaking in a radio interview on A1 Radio, the founder of Alagumgube, Gabriel Agambila, called on chiefs and traditional rulers across northern Ghana to summon the minister for what he described as a formal and proper apology.

According to him, the comment was insulting and could discourage public servants and professionals from accepting postings to the northern part of the country.

“We believe the statement has the tendency to create the impression that the North is a place of punishment and suffering, which is unfair to the people and communities there,” Mr. Agambila said.

He added that just as traditional authorities in other parts of the country would demand accountability for comments deemed offensive to their people, chiefs and opinion leaders in northern Ghana should also insist on a direct apology from the minister.

The group further referenced the contributions of the late A.A. Ampofo, affectionately known as “Kofi Chaley,” who worked in the Upper East Region and became widely respected for promoting unity and development through music and social engagement.

According to Alagumgube, A.A. Ampofo’s formation of the “Uppers Band” encouraged many people from southern Ghana to willingly accept postings and settle in the Upper East Region, helping to bridge regional divides.

The organization warned that the minister’s remarks risk undoing years of efforts aimed at promoting national integration and changing perceptions about northern Ghana.

The backlash follows widespread criticism over comments made by the Greater Accra Regional Minister during a discussion on illegal developments in Accra, where she reportedly stated that some officials involved in unauthorized permit approvals had been transferred to the North “as a kind of punishment.”

The comment sparked public outrage, leading to calls for an apology from several groups and individuals. The minister has since clarified that the statement was a “slip in communication” and apologized to Ghanaians, especially people from the northern regions.