The Chief Imam (seated middle, front row) and some of the petitioners (inset Dan Botwe)
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Osmanu Sharubutu, has openly endorsed the creation of the proposed Savannah Region out of the Northern Region.
He endorsed the idea despite the agitations by some persons in the area that the new region would lead to ethnic or tribal disharmony and give unfair advantage to a particular ethnic group.
Initially, the petitioners in favour of the creation of the Savannah Region wanted it to be known as the Gonjaland Region.
At their first in-camera meeting with the commission in-charge of creation of new regions held at the Osu Castle in Accra late 2017, the petitioners pushed for Gonjaland Region.
Some people reportedly feel that when created the new region might be dominated by a single tribe – the Gonjas, who are in the majority in the area.
But contributing to a public hearing in Accra on Tuesday organized by the presidential commission for the creation of six new regions out of the existing regions, the chief imam indicated that the reason for the creation of the Savannah Region was not “ethnic, tribal nor religious.”
“We all know the farther you are away from the source, the likely you are to be forgotten,” Sheikh Sharubutu said through his spokesperson, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu.
He stressed the need for the creation of the Savannah Region to bring governance closer to the people of the area.
The chief imam, who said the closing prayer at the hearing, explained that the creation of the new region would not lead to any tribal conflict but rather socio-economic development for the area.
‘Not A Tribal Project’
Former deputy minister of energy under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, John Jinapor, who also endorsed the creation of the new region, explained that the demand for the establishment of the Savannah Region is not a tribal issue.
“This is not a political project. This is a developmental project,” he stressed.
Earlier, Deputy Chief of Staff, Abu Jinapor, had emphasized, “We are not asking for a tribal region. We are asking for an administrative region which will result in accelerated development.”
‘No Malice’
Spokesperson for the petitioners, Alhaji Jawura, the Lepuwura, in his final presentation to the Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey (Rtd) commission, said the petitioners, made up of chiefs and overlords from the area, were not calling for the creation of the new region out of malice for any group or tribe.
He said the call is purely development-driven and that the proposed Savannah Region has been discriminated against for a long time in terms of development in the Northern Region.
According to him, the area does not have many social amenities such as schools, potable drinking water, health facilities and roads, in spite of its abundant natural resources.
Alhaji Jawura said the Savannah Zone has been deprived of development projects, unlike the northern parts of the region, especially Tamale.
“There is not a single teacher training centre in the proposed Savannah Region. Gonjaland has suffered under-development in the Northern Region,” he noted, adding that roads in the area are in deplorable state.
He admitted that some people are concerned that the creation of regions would create conflicts.
But allaying the fears of the opponents, he said systems would be put in place if the region was created, to ensure equity and fairness for all.
But an indigene of Kpandai – one of the ethnic groups reportedly opposing the creation of the region – Jones Mbimadong, said the people of Kpandai would prefer to be part of the proposed Oti Region instead of the Savannah Region.
According to him, the Kpandai area has been deprived of projects and would develop quickly if linked to the Oti Region instead of the Savannah Region.
Minister for Regional Reorganization and Development, Dan Botwe, in a short remark before the commencement of the hearings, indicated that the hearings had been largely successful, in spite of fears from the onset that the “emotive journey” could create tension.
Mad Scrumble
Chairman of the commission, Justice Alan Brobbey (Rtd), said even though a decision had not been made on whether or not the proposed regions would be created, some individuals and groups from the areas where the new regions would be cut out had been pushing for their towns to be named the new regional capitals, and urged the petitioners to exercise patience.
By Melvin Tarlue