Nabdam Constituency In Focus
Nabdam Constituency is one of the 13 constituencies in the Upper East Region. It is in the Nabdam District, one of the newly-created districts, with a population of about 100,000, including those living within and outside of the constituency.
Nangode, the capital, of the constituency is about 13 miles away from Bolgatanga, the regional capital. It was formerly known as the Talensi-Nabdam constituency, until 1979 when it was joined to the Bongo constituency, and later to the Bolgatanga constituency, and became a separate district, but joined Talensi before it finally became an autonomous district under the 4 th Republic in 1992.
Mr. Paul Kpal of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was the first Member of Parliament under the 4 th Republic from 1992 to 1996. Then came Mr. Moses Asaga, from 1997 to 2012, when Mr. Boniface A. Gambila unseated him in the 2012 parliamentary election.
PROFILE OF BONIFACE GAMBILA
He was born on 9 th June, 1959 in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, where his parents had settled. When his parents later moved to the Upper East Region, Mr. Gambila, then a child, started his elementary educational life at the Anignazanga Primary School, but as he recalled, he later moved to the Akantome and Awogeya primary schools because most of his childhood friends could be found in those schools. He had his Middle School education at Bukere Middle School, before proceeding to Navrongo Secondary School (NAVASCO) for his 'O' & 'A' levels.
Upon his successful completion, he worked in the Labour Office as a messenger, and later in Navorongo Secondary School (NAVASCO) as a typist.
Having saved enough money to continue his education, young Gambila entered the nation's premier university, the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1983, where he majored in Psychology and Political Science. He completed in 1987.
He then undertook his National Service at the training unit of the National Service Secretariat (NSS) in Accra. After his National Service, he was employed by the Service as a Senior Assistant Director in charge of training.
Mr. Gambila also studied and obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Training and Development at Manchester University in the United Kingdom in 1991. In 1994, he left the NSS and joined the University of Science and Technology Training Network Centre, where he served as a Training Coordinator.
From 1997 to 2002, he worked at Volta River Authority (VRA) Training School at Akuse, where he was responsible for the training of VRA staff. In 2002, then President Kufuor appointed him National Director of the National Service Scheme. This was after he had contested Mr. Moses Asaga, then Member of Parliament (MP) for Nabdam, in the 2000 elections, but lost.
Between 2005 and 2007 Mr. Gambila was the Upper East Regional Minister. He went back to the VRA in 2009, after he was removed from office as Regional Minister. He resigned from that position in 2012 to contest Mr. Asaga. This time round, he unseated the man many thought was unbeatable.
According to him, he had the opportunity to pursue a PhD in Training and Development in 2000, but chose rather to go into politics. He describes himself as a specialist trainer and a Psychometric in Africa and outside as he has been trained to assess people for job selection, using the Balanced Scorecard Master Professional, a tool used for performance measurement. Mr. Gambila is also a certified professional in training leadership development, and an Alumini of the US International Visitors' Leadership Programme.
MP'S VISION STATEMENT
'I want to see a Nabdam of improved living conditions; a Nabdam knowing how to fish, and not begging for fish.'
MP'S MISSION STATEMENT
'Positioning myself in a way to facilitate economic activity through education, health, roads, and infrastructure to improve on the living conditions of the people, as I see myself as a change-agent.'
ACHIEVEMENTS
For Mr. Gambila, accepting his role as a Member of Parliament, and reporting to duty in Accra in itself, was an achievement. He also serves on four committees which have oversight responsibility on Ministries, Departments and Agencies. These include the Special Budget Committee, Youth and Sport Committee, Trade, Industries, Tourism and Creative Arts Committee, and Select Committee of Parliament.
Mr. Gambila says he attends site meetings on the Bolga-Nangode 12.5 kilometres stretch of road currently under rehabilitation by the Ghana Highways Authority. He has also attended the first assembly meeting and made quality contributions.
Strengthening of remedial holiday classes for Senior High School students, and promising it would be sustained, taking delivery of solar lamps from the Ministry of Energy with funds from his share of the MP's Common Fund for onward distribution to the deserved communities, and conducting community needs assessments, were other achievements he has made.
http://thechronicle.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/12.jpg He also has done follow-ups on power extension to 10 communities benefiting from the Ministry of Energy's Turnkey Electricity Project to ensure the speedy completion of the project; procured baby feeding kits, yet to be delivered to health centres, for nursing mothers who attend those centres, so as to improve awareness creation on maternal and child care issues that would lead to an increase in attendance to health centres; and visiting developing projects in the constituency to determine their current states, are also many of the things he has done during his ten months in office.
PROSPECTIVE PROJECTS AND FUTURE PLANS
Mr. Gambila says health, roads, and education are dear to his heart. According to him, these would lead to improved human life and healthy communities, leading to improved food production and services, and improved community human resource and skilled labour, thereby swirling up the development of the area, and addressing the high level of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and disease.
After visiting the Kongo Senior High School, situated at Zuugu near Pelungu in his constituency, the MP says a place of convenience and source of safe drinking water are of major concern to students and their teachers. He is, therefore, liaising with the school authorities to support in providing the school with water closets and mechanised water systems. He condemned the provision of Kumasi Ventilated Improved Pits (KVIP) as a toilet facility in schools and anywhere else, describing it as 'a village practical something.'
As part of his developmental drive, aimed at seeing an improved Nabdam, Mr. Gambila says his philosophy is to teach people how to fish, and not to give them fish. He says, 'People should have the skills, knowledge, and attitude to achieve economic survival.'
He observed that a major project that could attempt to address the level of poverty in the area, would be through the establishment of what he calls the nNabdam Economic Empowerment Project, which he hopes to initiate.
According to him, the project, when started, would help expand all categories of constituents, especially the youth and women. The youth, both in school and out of school, have to be supported to venture into all available economic activities, including small scale mining and farming. He also intends to assist needy but brilliant students with teaching materials and money.
Mr. Gambila hints that he would make the Nabdam Traditional Area active and functional enough to be able to create sustainable economic activities that would aid in the developmental agenda of the area.
On tangible projects, the MP regretted that work on the tarring and rehabilitation of some roads in the constituency, under the Mills and Mahama governments, between 2009 and now, has been halted. He said, as MP, he is putting pressure on the government to continue with those projects. They include Asonge-Zanlerigu-Pelungu-Sakote for tarring, Pelungu-Nangode for completion with culverts, Sakote-Kusanaba, Pelungu-Tongo, and Sakote-Nangode.
He said the Nabdam District Assembly purchased a grader, and the assembly members were encouraged to identify feeder roads that needed to be worked on. As MP, Mr. Gambila said he would provide funds for the running of the grader to create more feeder roadsa in the constituency to facilitate the movement of goods and services. Sakote-Kusanaba, which the MP described as an old colonial trade route, is expected to open the economic link between the Nabdam and Zebilla area. He, therefore, called for a bridge to be built between Kusanaba and Sakote to improve trade markets and reduce transport cost.
The MP also has plans to open an e-library in the area, and also build a modern Mosque for Muslims.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC MAKE-UP
The members of the Nabdam constituency are predominantly peasant farmers, who engage in the production of crops such as guinea corn, millet, and beans, livestock rearing, small scale mining and small scale trading.
Though the constituency has some hills, there are no known tourist attractions. The capital, Nangode, is about 13 miles away from the regional capital, Bolgatanga. It is on the Bolgatanga-Bawku road, with communities such as Sakote, Kongo, Duusi, Asonge, Zanlerigu and Nyogbat. The revenue hub of the constituency is the popular Pelungu Market.
It has the Kongo Senior High School (SHS) and Duusi Vocational and Technical School as the only second cycle institutions. The main clinic and the only police station in the constituency are all located at Nangode,
ECONOMIC PROSPECTS
Though the Nabdam Constituency has no major economic activities, if the little ones are given the needed attention, they could in turn help address poverty and halt the annual movement of the youth from the area to the south.
For instance, improved agriculture, improved small scale mining, and improved small scale trading would offer greater opportunities for the constituents.
CHALLENGES:
The misconception of the role of the Member of Parliament, Mr. Gambila says, is a very serious challenge confronting him and all other MPs. According to him, some people, including the media, do know the role of the MP in the three arms of government - The Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature. As a result, they demand things that are beyond what a Member of Parliament is mandated to do.
He is, therefore, asking the National Commission for Civic Education to do a deliberate educational programme that would educate and inform Ghanaians on the roles of the arms of government, and the many state institutions.
The inability and refusal of the government to release funds for the development of Nabdam, delays in the release of the District Common Funds, as required quarterly by law, the high propensity of the government to misappropriate funds and payment of huge judgment debts, inability of parents to pay the fees of their children, lack of roads, energy, health and educational infrastructure are all affecting every aspect of development in the area.