Participants at the Regional Reorganization workshop in Tamale
The Regional Reorganization and Development Minister and MP for Okere, Dan Kwaku Botwe, has indicated that his outfit is not going to create ethnic regions as some people have perceived.
The minister, who was speaking at a media sensitization workshop on the creation of new regions in Tamale, Northern Region, said the assertion by some Ghanaians that the president – through the ministry – is creating ethnic regions for the selfish gains of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), thereby sidelining some tribes, is false.
On the brouhaha about the proposed Eastern Corridor Region, Mr. Dan Botwe said there are challenges that are slowing the process.
According to him, his outfit had received tonnes of write-ups and petitions for and against the creation of the Eastern Corridor Region. In both cases, he noted, the concerns raised had been in existence for a long time.
Some traditional rulers have stood against the creation of the new region from the Northern Region because they presume creating it will interfere with their traditional territories and functions as they will have to share boundaries with other kingdoms and communities.
However, Mr Dan Botwe claimed that that is far from the truth.
Salifu Sa-eed, Northern Regional Minister, stated that when created, the name of the region would have no effect on the residents.
He gave an instance that the fact that a region will be called Gonjaland Region does not mean it’s for only Gonjas, but for Ghanaians.
Mr. Sa-eed indicated that the new regions are going to be created purely for economic and developmental purposes.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale