Any Upper East MP not championing constituency development should be voted out in 2028 – Gabriel Agambila

Founder of the Alagumgube Association, Gabriel Agambila, has called on residents of the Upper East Region to hold their Members of Parliament accountable for development, insisting that any MP who fails to champion the interests and development needs of their constituency should be voted out.

Mr Agambila made the call during an appearance on Bolgatanga-based A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East Show on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, where he discussed the prospects of establishing a regional airport and the commitment of the region’s 15 Members of Parliament towards advancing the project.

He stressed that the responsibility of MPs should extend beyond partisan politics to actively lobbying, advocating and mobilising support for projects that will improve the living conditions of their constituents.

His comments come at a critical time when the proposed Upper East Regional Airport project has received renewed attention following President John Dramani Mahama’s visit to the project site at Sumbrungu-Kulbia on August 13, 2026.

During the visit, President Mahama assured chiefs and residents that construction of the long-awaited airport would commence before the end of 2026, subject to the completion of procurement and other necessary approvals. He indicated that the project is expected to take 24 months to complete.

The proposed facility is expected to feature a 2.2-kilometre runway, an apron capable of accommodating two aircraft, airfield lighting, an air traffic control tower, rescue and firefighting facilities, and an approximately five-kilometre access road. It is also expected to have an initial annual passenger capacity of 100,000.

The airport is considered a major infrastructure investment for the region, with the potential to improve air connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods and passengers, attract investors and support tourism and commercial activities.

The call for collective parliamentary action is not new. The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council had previously urged all 15 MPs to work together, irrespective of their political affiliations, to support the realisation of the airport project.

In 2024, the then Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, also appealed to the region’s MPs to support the airport development agenda, emphasising that its realisation required collective commitment from political leaders, traditional authorities and other stakeholders.

Mr Agambila’s latest remarks therefore add to growing calls for stronger political accountability and coordinated advocacy to ensure that major development aspirations of the Upper East Region translate into tangible outcomes.