U/E Regional Minister inspects education, health projects in Tempane, Garu, Pusiga and Bawku

The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Donatus Akamugri Atanga has inspected and commissioned a number of education and health projects in Tempane, Garu, Pusiga and Bawku as part of his "Accounting to the People" tour of the region.

In the Tempane District, about 100 kindergarten pupils at Ninsun are set to benefit from a new two-classroom KG block. The facility, which is virtually complete, comprises two classrooms, an office, a store and play equipment. According to the Tempane DCE, Hon. Mbilla Joseph Ayaaba, the pupils were previously learning under a tree.

In the Garu District, the DCE, Hon. John Abaare Abugbilla, led the Regional Minister to Takore where he commissioned a health centre and inspected several other completed and ongoing projects in the district.

In the Pusiga District, the Tarago CHPS compound has reached 92% completion. The facility was inspected by the Minister together with the Pusiga DCE, Hon. Aguuri Haruna Abdul-Rahim, and the MP for Pusiga, Hon. Laadi Ayii Ayamba. The CHPS compound includes three self-contained staff accommodation units, two consulting rooms, a delivery room, an OPD and a public washroom. Officials say furniture has already been supplied, with only fittings and exterior painting left to be done.

Also in Pusiga, the Minister inspected a newly constructed two-unit KG block at Narango. The block comprises two classrooms, a headteacher's office, a changing room and a staff common room, and is expected to replace an old dilapidated structure previously used by pupils.

In the Bawku Municipality, the Minister commissioned a new three-classroom JHS block at Buobula Primary School and inspected other projects at various levels of completion. The facility includes an office and store, a staff common room and a washroom, and has been furnished to seat 225 pupils - 75 per classroom.

Previously, Buobula had no JHS section and pupils had to travel about 20 minutes to Zaugo JHS after completing primary school. The new block will now enable them to complete their basic education within their own community. The municipal chief executive Isaac Azunaba Atilaat called for total peace in the municipality, saying "without peace we can not be seeing the development that we are seeing today." He said more of such would be executed by government to change the face of Bawku.

Throughout the tour, the Minister has been urging traditional authorities to release lands for development projects, stressing that without land government cannot develop their communities.

He has also cautioned the youth against illicit drugs and social vices, describing them as future leaders who must stay away from drugs and focus on productive ventures.

The Minister further commended chiefs and security agencies for their role in restoring relative peace to Bawku and the Kusaug area.

The Accounting to the People tour is part of government's efforts to showcase development interventions aimed at improving access to quality education, healthcare and other basic services across the Upper East Region.