All posts by : admin

Press Release NDF.11/07
November 8, 2007
 
Northern MPs Commend Development Forum
 
The Northern Caucus in Parliament has commended the Northern Development Forum(NDF) for organising Northerners and friends of the North in raising over 250 million cedis (GH25,000) for victims of the floods that hit the northern part of Ghana recently.
 
This commendation was made by the Chairman of the Caucus, Hon. Albert Salia when a delegation of the NDF led by its Chairman, Dr. Hakeem Wemah called on the MPs at Parliament House yesterday to brief them on the activities and future plans of the Forum.
 
Hon. Salia informed the Forum that apart from their individual donation of relief items to the victims they, the MPS from the North, are contributing five million cedis each from their Common Fund in support of the Forum’s Relief programme.
 
He expressed the appreciation of the MPs to the delegation of the Forum for the bold and courageous initiative taken in setting up a Northern Relief Fund.
 
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Yakubu Malik stressed that Northerners need to look beyond partisan and selfish interest and work together for the development of the three northern regions and the country as a whole.
 
 
 
Other MPs also lauded the efforts of the Forum and advised it not to rest on its oars and hoped that the Forum will live up to expectation. They also promised to collaborate with the Forum to finding lasting solutions to the development of the North.
 
 
 
Mr. Adam Sulley, a representative of the Upper West Region and Chairman of the Finance and Fund Raising Committee of the Forum told the MPs that the Forum has so far donated 700 bags of maize, soap and other relief items to the three Northern Regions.
 
 
 
Dr. Wemah in thanking the MPs for having received him and his delegation made it clear that the Forum is non political, religious, and tribal. He expressed the appreciation of the Forum to the MPs for their initial donation of 100 million cedis and looked forward to more fruitful collaboration between the MPs and the Forum.
 
 
 
The meeting was attended by more than 25 MPs from the North. Other members of the Forum present included Dr. Adam Hafiz and Mrs. Sussana Mahama representatives of the Northern and Upper East Regions, respectively. The rest were Mr. Bennet Mahama, Chairman of the Public Affairs Committee of the Forum and Benedict Assorow.
 
 
 
The delegation of the NDF had earlier on paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama. He was briefed on the on the activities Forum. He turn thanked the delegation wished them well in their endeavours.(see photo attached).
 
———————————————————————————————
 
Issued on behalf of the NDF by Benedict Assorow.
 
———————————————————————
 
Photo:
 
The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama ( third from Left) with the delegation(L to R) Mr. B. Assorow, Dr. Hakeem Wemah, Mrs. S. Mahama, Mr. Adam Sulley, and Dr. Adam Hafiz.

A message presented by the Chairman of the NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM(NDF) Dr. Hakeem Wemah to the GURUNIES AND DAGAABA during their FUN GAMES in Accra on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
 
Chairman of BONABOTO, The Chairman of the Dagaaba Association, Executive members of the two Ethnic groups, Invited Guests my dear sisters and brothers:
I wish on behalf of the Northern Development Forum(NDF) and in my own name, to congratulate you for the joint sports and cultural activities that have been promoted over the years by your esteemed associations in Accraand Tema.
Through these activities, I believe, personal differences are resolved and friendly relationships strengthened and comradeship built among the members of your two ethnic groups.
I have observed, with great delight, that through these games there has been an increase of inter-marriages which have further strengthened and maintained the already existing cordial relationship between the Gurunies and the Dagaaba. You must keep this up.
The value and importance of these cultural and social activities cannot be over-emphasised. They reduce hidden prejudices and help maintain the long existing solidarity between your two ethnic groups. May I therefore, suggest that you research into the history of your relation and pass it onto the younger generations .Indeed I would like to take this opportunity to call on historians,writers and playwriters of northern extraction to apply themselves and come up with credible histories of the various ethnic groups in northern Ghana.Our rich oral history and folklore can also provide ample material for fantastic plays and films to hit the electronic media.
On behalf of ,NDF I humbly call on the leaderships of the Kassenas, Gonjas and Sissalas as well as Moshies and Dagombas and indeed all other ethnic groups in the north who have this truly unique relationship to emulate the Gurunies and Dagaabas and initiate and or revive these games and other solidarity building activities which help to promote lasting peace and unity among our people.
My, Sisters and brothers, I do not need to tell you that ,developmentally , the three Northern Regions are in a very sorry state.It is therefore incumbent on all of us that we combine our efforts for our own development through peace and unity. We have to avoid acts that generate violence and disunity and rather unite to hasten the pace of integral development in our three regions- Unity in diversity.
I wish to commend BONABOTO and other ethnic groups and individuals who are putting their knowledge, skills and other resources at the disposal of our less fortunate brothers and sisters in order to improve their lot.
At this juncture ,kindly allow me to say a word about NDF. As you are all aware, the Northern Development Forum (NDF) was established on September 30 last year at the aftermath of the floods that devastated our part of the country. This heightened the need for us to advocate for the bridging of the development gap between the North and the South of Ghana.
I hasten to emphasis that the NDF is non-partisan, non religious and non-ethnic .It comprises of, and seeks to provide, a united advocacy platform for the people and friends of Northern Ghana.
NDF has the endorsement of the various leaderships of the North including, the Vice President of Ghana, His Excellency Alhaji Aliu Mahama; members of the Council of State and Members of Parliament from the three northern regions; and the traditional rulers through the various Regional Houses of Chiefs among others.
NDF is inviting and encouraging the various Associations, ethnic groups, youth groups, etc from the three northern regions not only to become active members but more importantly to support the work of the Forum. The main objective of the Forum is to play an advocacy role in order to change the sordid conditions under which the people of the three northern regions find themselves. We are of the conviction that no one can get people of Northern Ghana out of poverty without the commitment of the people themselves.
Time and again when the names of ethnic groups are mentioned inGhana, one of the terms used is northerners. It is an identity that conveys positive feelings and pride for those of us being so defined, but for some of those who do not hail from any of the three northern regions, it invariably attracts negative comments. The marginalization, and the deplorable conditions of people from the northern part of Ghanais the legacy of the past socio-political arrangement. Part of all this has also persisted due to our own omission or commission.
Dear Sisters and brothers, we need to unite as a people with a common objective. If we do not know where we are going we will never get there. In the same vein if we do not know what we want we will never get it. We have to find a lasting solution to the developmental challenges that confront our three regions. We have no choice in the matter.
The NDF meeting of September 30, 2007, most probably encouraged the Government to see the need to bridge the socio-economic and development gap between the north and the south. In the light of this the government in its 2008 Budget announced the establishment of a Northern Development Fund. A Bill on the establishment and operation of the Fund has therefore been presented to Parliament.
We have to do all within our means to lobby and sustain our advocacy efforts for parliament to pass the Northern Development Fund Bill before it goes on recess. The NDF will therefore like to take this opportunity to kindly appeal to all Parliamentarians to pass the Bill on the principle of equity and social justice without partisan considerations. What matters to us is the development of the three northern regions.
May the Almighty grant us all what it takes to achieve this goal. Once more, I congratulate you and best of wishes in your games and other endeavours and may the best team win.
Thank you.
 
———————————————————————————
 
Announcement: the next NDF meeting will take place on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at Christ the King Parish Hall,Accra.

Press Release On The Numerous Conflicts In The Three Northern Regions Of Ghana
 
FROM: THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF)
To: ALL MEDIA HOUSES IN GHANA
DATE: FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012
 
 
The Northern Development Forum (NDF) has observed with great concern and sadness the recent conflicts, violence and destruction of lives and properties that have engulfed a number of towns in the three Northern Regions of Ghana.
 
While extending our deep sympathy and condolences to all the families, communities, chiefs and opinion leaders and the victims of these conflicts we urgently call for all hostilities and violence to end forthwith. All well-meaning people from the three regions must find the moral courage and the spirit of tolerance to confront and overcome any form of violence. Too many people have died in these and past conflicts. The present level of ethnic conflicts that is consuming these communities 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 escalation of violence has now persisted with unprecedented levels of killings and burning of property with impunity. We wish to remind all those causing these conflicts to reflect on the consequences of their actions. These conflicts are making it difficult if not impossible to build the minimum trust and confidence required to bring about integral development in the northern part of Ghana. Therefore, first and foremost, the killings and the burning of houses must stop and stop now! Nowhere has violence solved any problem.
 
We commend the Regional Coordinating Councils in the three regions and the Security Agencies for making all the necessary efforts to restore calm and order. We urge the Security Agencies to maintain their vigilance in the coordination of security and to sustain professionalism in the conduct of their duties. All those involved in these unacceptable acts should be dealt with according to the laws of Ghana without fear or favour.
 
The apparent return of calm must provide an opportunity for active engagement through dialogue with all the ethnic groups in the affected areas to build peace within the framework and context of the laws of Ghana and the respect for fundamental human rights.
 
We are making a passionate appeal particularly to all people from these three regions that Ghanaian traditions and values respect the sanctity of life. More importantly, the two great religions that form the majority of our community of faith and belief in God- Christianity and Islam- underscore the sacred value of human life.
 
We would like to remind the people of the three regions that we have no choice but to reconcile and build a high capacity of tolerance in order to co-exist peacefully. Such co-existence is the only way to bring about human development, peace and prosperity. The journey towards true and lasting peace and development must begin now. NDF is more than willing to offer its contribution in this regard.
 
We wish to reiterate our commitment to the promotion of peace, reconciliation and development in the three Northern regions. We are however, not oblivious of the fact that the obstacles in this journey will only be overcome with the support of all our brothers and sisters from the three regions. In the final analysis it is a decision and a choice between selfishness and charity with love, between justice and dishonesty and between good and evil.
 
May Peace return to the affected areas in the North and all other areas of the country where peace is lacking.
 
Signed:
 
Dr. Hakeem Wemah, Mrs. Susan Mahama
Chairman, NDF Vice Chairperson & Rep. Upper East Region
 
 
 
Dr. Hafiz Adam Mr. Sulley Adam
Rep. Northern Region Rep. Upper West Region
 
Ben Assorow
Secretary