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DAILY GRAPHIC
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008
MP CALLS FOR LI ON NORTHERN FUND
STORY BY: SAMUEL ABAANE, BOLGATANGA
The government has been asked to pass a Legislative Instrument (LI) that will spell out the administrative instruments, legal boundaries and activities of the Northern Ghana Development Fund (NGDF).
In the absence of that, the fund can be regarded as another one of the many initiatives established by governments to whittle down people’s concerns over what has now become the north-south divide.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Mion in the Northern Region, Dr. Alhassan Ahmed Yakubu, made the call in Bolgatanga when he delivered a paper on, “The Northern Ghana Development Fund: Issues of Concern”, at the just-ended Northern Easter School.
The Northern Easter School, which was held on the theme: “Setting a Development Agenda for Northern Ghana”, was aimed at setting up a new development agenda for northern Ghana.
The Institute of Adult Education of the University of Ghana was the organizer of this year’s school, which is rotated among the three northern regions.
The general public, development consultants, teachers, labour-unions, district assemblies, politicians and academia usually participate in the deliberations of the school.
The MP, who is also a Ranking Member of the Committee of Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, said northern Ghana had what it took to be more economically independent but said what was lacking was the political and social mobilization attitude that would convert that potential into economic benefit.
He noted that northern Ghana was disadvantaged in terms of numbers and the complement of experts dealing with national development policies.
“Currently, there is likely to be no northern representation on the National Development planning commission (NDPC) and other very important national bodies set up to determine the development agenda of the country,” the MP explained.
Dr. Yakubu suggested that the NDPC should have a decentralized ownership as an essential ingredient in order to make development more equitable.
He also suggested of a Northern Ghana Development Planning Commission based in the north to see to the transparent administration of the NGDF.
“its popularity should rather make the government invest more in the relevant areas of northern Ghana and not reduce national budget allocation to the north because of the invisibility of regional allocation in the budget,” he stressed.
The MP pointed out that agricultural development, with a strong sustainable environmental protection dimension, must be an important instrument for development in capturing projects aimed at the economic emancipation of the north.
Such projects, he indicated, should engage the entire value chain, rather than the current system that exported wealth out of the region, since value addition remained rudimental in northern agriculture.
Also delivering a paper on “Special Initiative on Sustainable Development of Northern Ghana” a policy analyst at the office of the president Mr. Ernest Patrick Mallet, said the government, having realized that the socio-economic development gap between the northern region and the rest of the country could not be easily bridged with budgetary allocation alone, decided in its 2008 budget to the institute a “Special Initiative on Sustainable Development of Northern Ghana.”
“Closing the gap will not be event that will occur in time but it is a process that will take time, continuous efforts and commitment to see it through.” He said.
He said it should be a process that would take the whole country to the achievement of at least all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) simultaneously.
The policy analyst urged the participants to consider innovative ways of making the NGDF seed money of GH₵25 million to grow, since budgetary source alone might not be adequate to meet the expected high expenditure in implementing the initiative.
DAILY GRAPHIC
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008
PROGRAMME TO COMBAT DROUGHT IN THREE NORTHERN REGIONS
STORY BY: ABDUL AZIZ
The Government had drawn up a National Action Programme to combat drought and desertification in the three northern regions.
The five-year programme, which is being supported by the Canadian Government, was drawn up in close collaboration with the relevant government institutions.
The aim is to strengthen the capacity of rural institutions and communities affected by desertification to reverse land degradation and desertification trends in the three northern regions.
The project would also assist communities to adopt sustainable water and land management systems that improve food security and reduce poverty.
This came to light when the Canadian High Commissioner in Accra, Mr. Darren Schemmer, paid a courtesy call on the Auditor-General, Mr. Edward Dua-Agyeman, at his office yesterday.
Mr. Dua-Agyeman said the audit service was ready to collaborate with the implementing agency, the Ghana Environment Management Project (GEMP), by ensuring accountability through auditing of the projects
He said the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) had gained a lot by its association with Canadian-sponsored development programmes under which auditing services by GAS had been factored into the agreements reached between the Ghana Government.
The Auditor-General said these arrangements had helped to raise the profile of accountability at the District Assemblies and this was expected to be extended to the audits planned for the drought and desertification programme.
He said with the assistance of Canada, the government has established a liaison office at the Ringway Estates for the Public Accounts Committee and the Audit Service.
Mr. Dua-Agyeman assured the high commissioner that the seventh report of the Public Accounts Committee would be presented to Parliament in June, this year.
Mr. Schemmer said often people in the rural areas felt reluctant to pay their taxes with the excuse that taxes paid ended in wrong hands and pockets of revenue collectors.
He said the Canadian government’s aim was to assist the Ghanaian government to ensure accountability in the execution of projects in the rural areas by ensuring proper auditing of projects to reduce the incidence of corruption.
He explained that when the rural people began to see that their taxes were being put to good use, they would readily endeavor to meet their tax obligation promptly as studies had shown.
Mr. Schemmer said auditing, therefore, was not only to find out whether the funds had been used correctly but also to study the behavior of the people who paid the taxes so that measures could be put in place to ensure their maximum co-operation.
The Canadian High Commissioner expressed satisfaction that sanctions based on audit reports by GAS had made District Assemblies executing Canadian-founded projects to sit up.
Mr. Schemmer noted that the positive impact could be replicated in all the other sectors in the District Assemblies to ensure accountability in every sphere of district assembly operations.
NDF/NRM/08/01 January 28, 2008
The Regional Minister
Northern Regional House of Chiefs
Tamale
Dear Minister,
Request For A Courtesy Call
Happy New Year, belated though!
First a word of introduction: Following the heavy floods that hit the three regions of the northern part of Ghana last year and the havoc caused in their wake a group of like- minded people reflected on the situation and saw the need to come up with measures to help the flood victims in the short-term and to draw up a more comprehensive long-term and sustainable development plan for the three northern regions.
In pursuance of this objective a Forum know as the Northern Development Forum (NDF) was formed. The executive officers of the Forum are Mr. Adam Sulley for the Upper West Region; Mrs. Susana Mahama for the Upper East Region and Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, Northern Region. It is under the Chairmanship of Dr. Hakeem Wemah.
There are ten members each from the Upper West and Upper East Regions and fifteen members from the Northern Region serving on the following committees: Fund Raising and Finance; Reconstruction; Public Affairs and Data Bank and Research.
With this brief introduction we will appreciate it, very much if you would kindly make it possible for four Executive members of the Forum to pay a courtesy call on you on January 15, 2008 before meeting members of the Northern Region House of Chiefs.
We will appreciate it, very much, if you could kindly provide us board and lodging from January 14-16, 2008.
We have already had such courtesy calls on the Vice- President of Ghana, His Excellency Alui Mahama; the Council of State members from the three northern regions and the Caucus of Northern Members of Parliament.
With prayerful best wishes, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Hakeem Wemah, Chairman, NDF
PUBLIC AGENDA
FRIDAY 16, 2008
NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM CALLS FOR PEACE AT BAWKU
BY: Selorm Amevor
The leadership of the Northern Development Forum (NDF) has added its voice to the clarion call for parties in the Bawku conflict to halt further atrocities.
According Chairman of the NDF, Dr. Hakeem Wemah, the Kusasi and the Mamprusi who are the main parties in the on-going conflict must find the moral courage and the spirit of tolerance to confront and overcome the on-going violence.
“Too many people have died in a conflict that can never be solved through violence, nowhere has violence solved any problem,” he said.
The chairman said the present level of hatred that is consuming the two communities in Bawku has led to revenge killings and deepened internecine violence that is unacceptable in a country where the respect for the rule of law is supreme.
“The NDF draws the attention of all the youth of Bawku that Ghanaian traditions and values respect the sanctity of life and more importantly the two great religions that forms the majority of our community of faith and believe in God, Christianity and Islam underscore the sacred value of human life,” he added.
Dr. Wemah said this in Accra when the National Council of Ghanaians Associations (NCGA) based in New York, USA donated GHC 5000 as its contribution to relieve the pain of those in the Northern parts of the country who were affected by the floods last year.
He called on the youth from both sides to reflect on the consequences of their actions, since according to him the recent escalation of violence has brought untold hardship on the people.
“We urge the security agencies to maintain their vigilance and to sustain professionalism in the conduct of their duties I a polarized environment that has been exacerbated by families still grieving from the loss of their loved relatives,” he added
According to him, the NDF recognizes that ending the current violence is only an immediate response, while engagement for durable peace is must continue and therefore appreciates the involvement of the president of Ghana by talking to both sides to stay calm.
Dr. Wemah indicated the return of calm however must provide opportunity for active engagement through dialogue with the Kusasi and the Mamprusi, as well as other ethnic groups in the Bawku area to build peace.
The NDF further urged the government not to spare any efforts in its primary and responsibility to protect all residents in the Bawku area.
The NDF called on all political and opinion leaders from the Bawku area resident in Accra and all the regional capitals to stand up and speak against the on-going violence.
In addition, they commended the efforts of civil society organizations and religious bodies to build peace under the Bawku Peace Initiative and said such efforts can only yield fruits when the violence ceases.
“In this hour of need, your silence could be misinterpreted to endorse violence in Bawku, in your capacity as leaders, your voice to support peace is paramount,” he added.
Making the presentation on behalf of the over 13 Ghanaian association America, Nana Kofi Anane Amponsah, Asantefohene of New York said the group was touched by the plight of those who were affected and therefore saw it necessary to contribute their widows mite to help them.
According to him, natural disaster s are unavoidable and not peculiar to any group of people or continent, and therefore urged other well-meaning Ghanaian living in the diaspora to contribute in reducing the burdenof those who were affected by the flood.
Nana Amponsah commended the government and other well-meaning Ghanaians for the role they played by providing relief items to the victims.
Dr. Wemah, commended the association for their kind gesture and show of patriotism and was of the view that their gesture was an indication that Ghanaians are one people of a common destiny.
Dr. Wemah said NDF has the endorsement of the various leaderships of the North, including the Vice President, and the members of the council of state, members of parliament of the three Northern Religions and the traditional rulers through the various regional house of chiefs among others.
He indicated that the recognition of the forum by NCGA was an indication they have kept faith with the people and have sent foodstuffs and other relief items to victims of the flood.
PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANISED BY THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF) AT THE GHANA INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTRE, ACCRA ON THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2007.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, Invited Guests, Friends of the North and members of the NDF, Good Morning!
First, let me thank you for honouring the invitation to this Press Conference.
A group of concerned citizens and friend of Northern Ghana recently got together in order to come up with measures to help the flood victims following the heavy rains and floods that hit and devastated the three regions of northern Ghana. A general meeting of people and friends of the north was convened on September 30 this year. The turn-out was beyond our expectations. Apart from the spontaneity and the crowd that greeted the occasion, the generous out pouring of contributions by all present convinced the organizers that something concrete had to be done in respect of the North. We decided there and then to come up with measures not only to help the flood victims in the short-term but also to draw up comprehensive long-term plans and strategies for finding sustainable and lasting solutions to the distressed situation of our three regions.
Toward the above aspirations, the meeting unanimously endorsed the formation of an organization to be called and referred to as “The Northern Development Forum” (NDF): An organization, the likes of which was felt to have been long overdue. At this juncture, I must state emphatically that the NDF is a non-political and non-sectarian organization. (We represent the interests of the three Northern Regions!).
During this maiden meeting of the Forum a sum of One hundred fifty three million (C153 m) cedis was realised. Consequently, the Forum established a fund known as the Northern Relief Fund. Thus the Northern Development Forum did take a bold initiative to embark on the raising funds to support relief programmes in order to complement the efforts of government, NGOs, Corporate bodies, individuals and the like.
The Fund is currently being managed by (a three-person committee): one person from each of the three northern regions. They are Mr. Adam Sulley for the Upper West Region; Mrs. Susana Mahama for the Upper East Region and Dr. Hafez Adam Taher for the Northern Region. The fund is under the Chairmanship of Dr. Hakeem Wemah..
The Forum has other committees. We have chosen ten persons from each of the Upper West and Upper East Regions and fifteen persons from the Northern Region (obviously because of its size) to serve on the following committees:
a) Fund Raising and Finance
b) Reconstruction
c) Public Affairs & Publicity
d) Data Bank and Research
The Forum’s main concern was to contribute financially and materially to support the relief programme in the affected areas, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations, religious bodies, and development partners in an effort to complement the work of the Government of Ghana.
For the details of the income and expenditure accounts of the Fund, I would kindly ask Mr. Adam Sulley, Chairman of the Finance and Fundraising Committee, to handle that later. But before he does that I would like to make special mention of the following persons and/or groups: Togbe Afede, Alhaji Yussif Ibrahim, Mr. P.V Obeng, all MPs from the north, the Northern Education Trust Fund and the Northern Group at the African Development Bank in Tunisia for their generous contributions.
From a total amount of 168,471,000 million cedis that was eventually realised, we made some presentations in the three northern regions as follows:
Northern Region:
250 mini bags of maize and 18 cases of key soap was presented on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 in Tamale. They were received by the Regional Minister in the company of NADMO officials
Upper East Region:
250 mini bags of maize and 13 cases of key soap. These were presented on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 through the Deputy Regional Minister, Coordinating Director and a NADMO official.
Upper West Region:
100 maxi bags of maize and 14 cases of key soap were presented on Thursday, October 18, 2007. to the Regional Minister, his Deputy and an official of NADMO.
Ladies and gentlemen, I must confess that other individuals and organizations have made similar donations to the flood victims of the North. However, I want to single out that of this Forum and state that their reaction and donation was considered special, timely and commendable as it was from no other persons but from the sons and daughters of the three northern regions. In a very little way we have demonstrated to both the local and international donor community that we are very much involved in the welfare of our people.
Another issue that concerned the Forum was to assess the effects of the floods in the three regions. Therefore, information about the impact of the floods on housing, agriculture, health, education and general infrastructure including the effect on the road network is being compiled by the Data Bank and Research Committee (DBRC). This would assist the Forum in ongoing deliberations, presentations and proposals to government and other agencies that the Forum may contact for assistance. It must be noted that in gathering this information we would also rely on various government agencies, district authorities and other non-governmental agencies including those of the United Nations.
Ultimately, the Data Bank will contain information about all aspects of the Social, Political and Economic life of the three northern regions. The objective is to make available facts and figures about the northern part of Ghana, highlighting the social and economic potentials of the three regions, thereby helping to focus attention on the area for the purpose of soliciting development initiatives from interest groups including Government, Non-governmental Organizations, development partners and individuals.
We are not oblivious of the enormity of the task before us and we understand that for this exercise to be successful, a step by step approach must be adopted with the ultimate goal of establishing a comprehensive development plan for Northern Ghana.
Statistics from official sources indicate that 56 people died, about 300,000 were internally displaced, 35,000 houses collapsed, and almost 60,000 farms were destroyed. More than 500 kilometres of roads and a number of bridges have been affected. A large amount of agricultural produce and livestock were also lost. The floods have affected drinking water supply and the health of the people in the three regions. These could be an understatement considering the vast amount of areas in the regions that are not readily accessible.
This year, the rains were very erratic in the beginning of the farming season. Farmers who planted early lost most of their seeds. Those who managed to get seeds to re-plant following the second coming of the rains after a long spell of no rains were hit with floods which did destroy farm lands and food crops. It means that there will be shortage of food in the coming months, particularly in the dry season, as most farmers have harvested less than 20 per cent of what they planted this year. There will be severe famine particularly in the dry season if no meaningful measures are taken to mitigate the effects soon.
As life becomes more difficult as a result of the floods it is expected that many young boys and girls would join the exodus of migrants already crossing borders in search of new livelihoods. Many will move into overcrowded cities where there are hardly any jobs for them. The effect of all what I have described on the entire country is anybody’s guess.
Even without the floods the northern part of Ghana was already in very poor state. The magnitude of the disaster coupled with the prevailing poverty levels are staring us in the face. We cannot play the ostrich. We have to do whatever it is within our means as a country to stand up to the challenge with the hope that with commitment, patriotism, dedication and a sense of purpose and direction we will be able to make meaningful contributions to the development of the North and mother Ghana.
Finally, let me appreciate and commend the Government of Ghana for the support that has so far been given and especially the allocation of GHC 25 million cedis as seed money for the Northern Development Fund. We would like to believe however that this would be increased. As we are all aware, the seed money would not make the desired impact in the light of the magnitude of the disaster and the overall developmental needs of the three regions. We therefore urge the Government to initiate a more comprehensive fund-raising effort and significant budgetary allocation to the North to make the commitment worthwhile.
The time has come for development needs of the North to be defined broadly and to resolve to find a lasting solution to the perennial problems of such a significant part of our country. We, and government must, together, quickly find the resources for long-term development and investment purposes for the North and to free-up as a matter of urgency whatever help is necessary to bring up the North to par. We call upon key stakeholders to be convened by the Government to determine the priorities and develop the strategies necessary for the development of the North. It is our prayer and hope that the words and spirit in the budget would be backed by action and that the Fund will be used judiciously for the betterment of mother Ghana.
It is our pleasant understanding that the Government of Ghana and our Development Partners are considering coming up with a comprehensive programme, a “Marshall plan” so to speak, for the reconstruction and development of the three northern regions in the realm of Housing, Industry, Agriculture, dams for dry season farming, Education, Health, Roads, River and Transport to mention but a few. We on our part are prepared to be involved in finding a more lasting solution for the general development of the three regions.
We would like to express our appreciation to the Government of Ghana, Development Partners, Diplomatic Missions, NGO’s, Religious Bodies, Traditional Rulers, the Private/Business Sectors and individuals who in one way or the other have come to the aid of the victims of the floods. As you are aware the flood victims would need support for a long time to come.
We therefore will appreciate contributions from individuals and or organizations; contributions may be sent to any of the following accounts that have been opened at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
ADB House, Accra:
Cedi Account Number: 1161000002986
US Dollar Account: 1162000000348
All payments can be made at any ADB branch throughout the country
Ladies and Gentlemen, at this opportune stage when all well-meaning Ghanaians and development partners are focusing attention on the northern problems, it is imperative that all northern Ghanaians, NGO’s and organisations with interest in the north, be they of Northern origin themselves or not, speak with one voice on all issues affecting the three northern regions. The NDF hopes to provide that platform for achieving this objective.
We wish to express our solidarity and also sympathise with people of other parts of Ghana and elsewhere in Africa who have been affected by floods.
May we take this opportunity to congratulate the media for the good coverage of the floods and your concern for the development of our country. We will continue to rely on your support in highlighting the concerns and needs of the north and the general development of our country, Ghana.
Thank you very much for your attendance and patience and May the
Almighty give us all what it takes in finding sustainable solutions to development of our dear country Ghana.
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Contacts
1. Dr. Hakeem Wemah, Chairman of NDF -0244327585
2. Mr. Adam U. Sulley, Chairman Finance and Fund
Raising Committee and Rep of Upper West Region – 0244311802
3. Mrs. Susanna Mahama, Rep. of Upper East Region -0244657083
4. Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, Rep. of the Northern Region -0244382173
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Ex-Officio Members
1. Dr. Sulley Gariba 0244547241
2. Ben Assorow 0244274186
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