Shani Alhassan Saibu
The Minister-designate for Northern Region, Shani Alhassan Saibu, has pledged his commitment to work closely with the two factions in the Nanton chieftaincy dispute to promote peace in the area.
According to him, the relative peace of the area needs to be consolidated, and indicated that he was very much abreast with the issues of the Nanton chieftaincy dispute.
Answering questions before the Appointments Committee of Parliament last week, Mr. Saibu disclosed that a committee had been put in place to ensure a speedy resolution of the dispute between both gates.
He assured the committee that he would not do anything untoward to erode the confidence and the credibility of the entire process because of the volatile nature of the issue in order not to undermine the traditional council.
Mr. Saibu indicated that as a Regional Minister it was in his interest to make sure that the necessary security arrangement was put in place to prevent unforeseen circumstances in the region.
Potable Water
On the issue of potable water, the nominee acknowledged the acute water shortage situation in the region during the dry season and indicated that it had been one of his priorities to ensure that the people in the region got constant potable water without any hindrance.
According to him, the successive governments have contributed in diverse ways to make water accessible to the people in the region, but said that population growth coupled with funding issues had made demand to outstrip supply.
The capacity of Dalung Pumping Station was not adequate to supply water to Tamale and its environs and that had largely contributed to water shortage in the area, he submitted.
He also pointed to obsolete equipment and power cuts having contributed to and compounded supply problems of the Dalung Pumping Station.
Despite these challenges, he indicated, however, that the water station was able to meet about 12 million gallons of water per day.
Mr. Saibu lauded the initiative taken by the current government to find a lasting solution to the perennial water problem in the region, and disclosed that an approval had been granted for the construction of a 280-million-dollar water facility to tap water from Yapei-Buipe into Tamale and its catchment areas.
He said feasibility studies had been conducted and that value-for-money audit reports were being prepared, adding that when completed, the project would benefit all the communities in Tamale.
The nominee told the committee that some market projects were initiated by the previous administration and promised to complete them, while pledging to roll out new market projects.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House