Commission For New Region Climax Hearings In Gonjaland

The Commission of Inquiry into the Creation of new Regions has concluded its activities in the Gonja Traditional Area by holding its last public hearing at Salaga in the East Gonja District where residents made arguments underscoring the need for a new region.

Besides the public hearing at Salaga, the Commission held four other hearings at Buipe, Damongo, Bole and Sawla, all in the Gonja Traditional Area, as well as another in Tamale to listen to reasons for creation of a new region out of the Northern Region as demanded by the Gonja Traditional Area.

In all the days that the public hearings were held at Buipe, Damongo, Sawla, Bole and Salaga, local authorities temporarily closed down all business activities and public entities to ensure that a large number of residents attended the hearings to shore up support for the demand for a new region.

Various stakeholders who spoke at all the public hearings cited unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, ineffective administration, the need for peaceful co-existence, and the poor representation of minority ethnic groups as reasons for new regions to be created out of the Northern Region.

The Gonja Traditional Area and the Mamprugu Traditional Area petitioned the Commission to create two regions out of the Northern Region.

Lepowura Alhaji Mohammed Nuru-Deen Jawula, a senior citizen at Salaga, who spoke during the public hearing at Salaga, said ethnic groups in the Gonja Traditional Area would be duly recognised in the proposed region to promote peace.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Tuesday turned its focus on the Mamprugu Traditional Area by holding a public hearing, while four other hearings would be held at Nalerigu, Walewale, Bunkpurugu and Mamprugu/Moaduri to listen to views of residents for the creation of a new region out of the Northern Region.

The Commission will conclude its public hearings in the Mamprugu Traditional Area on March 25.

Justice Stephen Allan Brobbey, Chairman of the Commission, gave the assurance that views expressed by the public would be considered for the creation of the proposed regions.