Nana Addo Names Sewfi Wiawso Capital Of Western North Region

President Nana Addo on Friday named Sefwi Wiawso as the capital of the newly created Western North Region.

At a durbar of Chiefs and people from the Western North Region at the Jubilee House in Accra, the President presented to the Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Anwhiaso Traditional Area, Ogye Ahoho Yaw Gyebi II, the Constitutional Instrument (CI 117), signifying the coming into being of the Region.

Thus, the Western North Region, one of the six new regions created after last December's referendum, officially becomes the 15th administrative region in Ghana. Four of the six regions-North East, Savannah, Bono East and Ahafo had been presented with their Constitutional Instruments after President Akufo-Addo signed Attestation Instruments to that effect.

The last of the six, the Oti region, carved out of the Volta region is expected to be presented with its Constitutional Instrument by the President shortly.

President Akufo-Addo told the Western North people that the presentation of the Constitutional Instrument "signifies the culmination of what you have sought for unsuccessfully since the mid 1970's, over forty years ago."

"You have always wanted it... You made strong case for it when I visited Bodi on August 12, 2016, then as a presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, and now you have it," he said.

The New Patriotic Party had specifically mentioned in its 2016 manifesto that it would create the Western North Region if the people of the area so wished.

President Akufo-Addo said it was disturbing that the Northern part of the Western Region, laden with abundant natural resource, had not attained its full developmental potential.

He was optimistic that the creation of the Region would open up and optimize the areas development prospects.

President Akufo-Addo assured that with an amount of GHC20 million earmarked for the take-off of the Region, government was committed to the growth, development and success of the area.

Ogye Ahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, who is also the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, expressed his appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for "making the dream of the people of the Western North Region come to pass."

He said the people of the area would lend their support to the President's transformational agenda to make Ghana a successful and prosperous nation.

—GNA