Chiefs Charge President Akufo-Addo To Honour Campaign Promises

The chiefs and the Coalition of Eastern Corridor Youth (COECY) have appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo to honour his campaign promises to people of the area to justify the confidence reposed in him.

The Chiefs and the youth group said key among the numerous campaign pledges to the people of the Eastern Corridor area was the creation of a new region out of the Northern Region, which made the people to give the President overwhelming endorsement.

They made the call on Thursday in Yendi during a press conference to remind the NPP and President Nana Akuffo-Addo to redeem the campaign promise of creating a new region out of the Northern Region to speed up development as well as creating jobs for the youth.

The coalition of Eastern corridor youth comprised of people from Tatale, Saboba, Yendi, Mion, Gusheigu, Kpandai, Wulensi, Chereponi and Karaga With the population of about 1,386,987 out of the region's total population of about 2,479,461 as captured in the 2010 population and housing Census.

'This implies that about 53 per cent of the total population of the current Northern Region resides in the Eastern Corridor and therefore qualified and more deserved to be carved out the northern region', the group explained.

Mr. Abubakari Is-haq Motariga, chairman of the coalition who read the statement said the call was necessary due to recent unpleasant developments surrounding the creation of regions among which Northern Region was among.

He mentioned specifically comments by Mr. Dan Botwe, the Minister for Regional Re-organization and Development that suggested that no petition has been received from the chiefs and people of the Eastern Corridor area concerning the creation of new region out of the Northern Region.

Mr Montariga said copies of the petition for the creation of the new region were handed over to the president during his visit to the palaces of the Kampakuya Naa and the Bolin Lana in the Yendi Municipality and that the Gundo Naa, who is the senior most Queen mother of the Dagbon Kingdom openly drew attention of the president to the Eastern Corridor request for Region.

He expressed fears that, 'it appears there is a U-turn from the president after the chiefs and youth of some areas had mounted unceasing pressure and lobbying not to allow an inch of their land to be carved into the proposed Eastern Corridor Region because Yendi is for Dagombas and hence Dagombas will control Tamale and Yendi as a regional capital'.

He, however, thanked the president for his passion and commitment to help end the Dagbon conflict, a commitment he gave when he visited the Overlords of the Gonja and Mamprugu Traditional Areas early this year.