Picture shows; Immanuel Okrah Boateng, Convenor of the Pressure Group
A community development pressure group made up of residents in the Oti region has called on the government of President Nana Akufo-Addo to speed up the processes for creating a district to cater for the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) traditional areas.
According to the group’s wing in North America, thus Oti Action Group of North America (OAGNA), the creation of the SALL District or what others call the Guan District; will complete the beautiful Oti region story.
The Conveyor of the group, Immanuel Okrah Boateng in a statement copied to DGN Online, lamented that the delay in the process is not only depriving the SALL area of development but also stifling the livelihoods, hopes and progress of the residents who made a lot of sacrifice and contributions towards the creation of the Oti Region.
He said, “due to this unfortunate development, the areas have not received their share of the development cake in terms of social amenities and essential services, a situation that has caused a lot of discomfort to the indigenes.”
Mr. Boateng further lamented that “some communities lack portable drinking water, good school buildings, decent public places of convenience, etc.”
The situation also affected local governance the area as “ever since the current assembly members were elected somewhere in 2019, the assembly members in the affected areas are yet to have any sittings as they don’t belong to any district in the Oti Region.”
To this end, assembly members scavenge for information to keep their constituents updated with government business.
Members of OAGNA were worried that should the current situation continue residents will not be happy as they will have to advise themselves.
Background
During the creation of the Oti Region, the four traditional areas; SALL were carved out of the Hohoe Municipality in the then Volta Region to be part of the new Oti region.
The decision which came with missed reactions in the area was later affirmed by a referendum in 2018 which led to the inauguration of the new Oti Region in 2019.
Citizens of the Four traditional areas had insisted that should they be carved out of Hohoe, they will not want to be part of Jasikan District which is the closest district to them, but will want to have their own district.
True to their word the area continued to exist without aligning themselves to any district as they await theirs, 18 months after President Akufo-Addo presented the Constitutional Instrument 112 which legalised the creation of the Oti Region.
Mr Boateng said in as much as the OAGNA and residents of SALL thank the President, local government and regional reorganisation Ministry for fulfilling the promise of creating the Oti region, the promise of creating the SALL or Guan District must also be fulfilled “to calm nerves down and rekindle their hopes in government to bring the development that they yearn for.”
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)