Following the recent heightening of tensions in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region as a result of provocative social media posts and reckless pronouncements by some citizens, the Northern Development Forum (NDF) quickly reached out to the parties in dispute, notably the Dagomba Youth Association (DAYA), the Konkomba Youth Association and the Basare Youth Association (BAYA) to forestall any escalation. These interactions by the NDF have been undertaken to support the efforts of the Joint Ministerial Peace Team which visited the Northern Region recently to dispel rising tensions, and set in motion actions aimed at peaceful coexistence, social cohesion and ethnic harmony in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region.
The NDF wish to commend the Joint Ministerial Peace Team for their swift intervention and also applaud the Gbewaa Palace, the Dagomba Youth Association (DAYA), the Dagbon Forum (DF), the Konkomba Youth Association (KOYA), the Basare Youth Association, the Northern Regional Peace Council (NRPC) and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) for consulting continuously and cooperating closely to ensure that the conflict hysteria which was sweeping through the Northern Region has been curtailed.
Recent engagements by the NDF with the parties in dispute have emphasized the overwhelming appetite of the parties for peace in the region, in spite of some disagreements about the issues at stake. The NDF is urging all stakeholders to continue to engage continuously as we dialogue in order to reach a common ground. The NDF is acutely aware that the absence of violence is not necessarily the presence of peace. Proactive measures need to be introduced purposely aimed at addressing some of the existing disagreements, with a view to tackling the sources of these disagreements in order to achieve the much-deserved lasting, long-term and sustainable peace.
The NDF call on the parties in dispute to exercise maximum circumspection and restraint, and allow for a thorough interrogation of the issues at stake. All advocates of peace and development are concerned about the deleterious effects of talk and social media posts about impending
-MORE-
conflict in the Eastern Corridor because even such mere talk discourages investment and aggravates the poverty of the North, which is actually the Enemy of the North.
As we work assiduously to reconcile the parties and reinforce the foundations of peace in the Northern Region, the NDF is inviting all activists and advocates for peace and the accelerated development of Northern Ghana, to collaborate with the NDF to safeguard the peace of the North.
The Lands Commission and the Site Advisory Committee working on the Pwalugu Multi-purpose Dam Project have finalized land acquisition issues with stakeholders in the Upper East and North East Regions for the project to commence.
Mr. Emmanuel Nartey, the Settlement Manager of the Volta River Authority (VRA), who updated the stakeholders on the progress of work, said community engagements and land mapping were completed with resettlement processes ongoing.
He said a total of 814 households comprising 4,228 people spread across 22 communities in the main reservoir, 11 households made of 52 people across three communities in the Weir area who were physically affected would be resettled.
He said 335 households with human population of 2,618 who were economically displaced would be provided with agriculture development support, marketing schemes and technology improvement facilities to sustain their livelihoods.
For social cohesion, the Resettlement Manager said 10 community centers and five Chief Palaces would be constructed at convenient locations including five churches, six mosques and football parks would also be provided in all the four resettlement towns which would further be connected to the national grid.
Mr. Nartey said the communities would also benefit from CHPS compounds with staff accommodation, while two health facilities at Wulugu and Samni would be upgraded and equipped to supplement health care delivery.
Four Kindergarten, Primary and three Junior High Schools would be built, boreholes and water points would also be provided with toilet facilities in each resettlement, and 80kilometre link feeder roads would be constructed within the communities.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon Stephen Yakubu, in his address, reiterated government’s commitment to the construction of the Multi-purpose Dam.
He said it took a “Visionary leader in the person of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to demonstrate the commitment to the people of the North that this laudable vision could be executed to the benefit of all Ghanaians.
“Apart from serving as a reservoir or receptacle to harvest water from the upland which has been the main source of our perennial floods from the Bagre Dam, it would also provide 25,000 hectares of irrigable land and Hydro- Solar hybrid system of 60 Megawatts Hydro Power and 50 Megawatts Solar Power,” he said.
Hon Yakubu said the project was a game-changer that would check the migration of the youth from the North to the south for greener pastures.
Mr. Daniel Onny, the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam Project Manager, said the World Bank had given the assurance that it would soon release funds for the project to start.
We received an invitation to meet the Northern Ghana Team at the British High Commission yesterday, Thursday 1 June 2023. We were able to mobilise tge following to attend the meeting:
Dr. Hakeem Wemah
Hajia Sawaratu
Mr. Peter Sangber-Dery
Mr. Ben Assorow
Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd)
The purpose of the meeting was to follow up on an earlier brief meeting between the chairman and the team at the airport. The meeting afforded the NDF Team an opportunity to get properly acquainted with the new Northern Ghana Attache at the British High Commission, Mr Paul Edwards, who arrived in Ghana barely eight weeks ago. We briefed the Team about the NDF, our activities, plans and programmes. This was a familiarisation meeting: the two sides agreed to hold more targeted meetings in the future.
Preliminary discussions have brought up the following:
Education
Security and conflict
Social cohesion
The idea is to raise issues for which we have firm proposals which we can submit to them.
SPEECH DELIVERED BY MAJOR ALBERT DON-CHEBE (RTD), CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF) AT THE GUINEA CORN FESTIVAL (NDIPONDAAN) AT SABOBA ON SATURDAY, MARCH 4 2023
Mr. Chairman,
Eminent Chiefs
Prominent Citizens
Distinguished Invited Guests
All established protocols acknowledged and respected
THE GUINEA CORN FESTIVAL (NDIPONDAAN) AT SABOBA
Let me begin by apologizing to everyone for not speaking Likpakpan. I am still learning the language. If you invite me to the next Ndipondaan, I will deliver my speech in Likpakpan. My name is Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), a former soldier and former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and currently Chairman of the NDF.
As chairman of the NDF, I bring you fraternal greetings from all Northern Ghanaians in particular and Ghanaians in general. The NDF represents all citizens of the North and we undertake advocacy on issues concerning the development of the North and the welfare and livelihoods of citizens of Northern Ghana.
From the benevolence of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), we have been working in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana to foster inter-ethnic coexistence, harmonious cooperation and peaceful relations among the ethnic groups in the Gushegu Municipality, Tatale, Chereponi and Saboba Districts.
As part of our peace and unity activities, we have trained several persons as Peace Advocates in these districts. We have also created Multi-Ethnic Dance Groups who have been training together to dance all the dances of the ethnic groups, irrespective of one’s ethnic group. The group have come together as a sign of the ethnic harmony and community cooperation that we believe will accelerate development in Northern Ghana. This group is also a manifestation of the unity and peace which is at the heart of the Ndipondaan Festival.
Mr. Chairman, Eminent Chiefs, Distinguished Invited Guests, it is my special privilege to invite the Saboba Multi-Ethnic Dance Group to perform and deliver our messages of Peace at the Ndipondaan Festival.
SPEECH DELIVERED BY MAJOR ALBERT DON-CHEBE (RTD), CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF) AT THE 66TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY PARADE AT TATALE ON MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2023
The Honourable District Chief Executive
The Paramount Chief of the Tatale Traditional Area
Senior Security Officers
Honourable Assembly Members and Political Appointees
Distinguished Invited Guests
All Protocols already established acknowledged and respected
NDF Ghana 66 Independence at Tatale MAJOR ALBERT B. DON-CHEBE (RTD) ESQ, – NDF Ghana
I bring you fraternal greetings from the Northern Development Forum (NDF) on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. My name is Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), a former soldier and a former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), and currently the Chairman of NDF.
Through the benevolence of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), NDF has been working in four Districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana, namely, Gushegu, Chereponi, Saboba and Tatale-Sanguli. The purpose of our activities in these Districts is to strengthen inter-ethnic co-existence, deepen community relations and reinforce peace and unity among the ethnic groups in the Eastern Corridor.
Hon. DCE, as part of our peace and unity activities, we have trained several persons as Peace Advocates and also established Multi-Ethnic Dance Troupes in the four Districts. Today, I am honoured to introduce to you the Multi-Ethnic Dance Troupe of the Tatale-Sanguli District. This troupe is composed of Basares, Fulbe and Konkombas. Today, we will see Fulbe dancing Basare dances and vice versa and Konkombas dancing Fulbe dances and vice versa. This cross-dancing is to demonstrate that we are essentially one people and must respect one another, and not allow linguistic differences to divide us to the point of violence and anarchy.
Hon. DCE, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my special pleasure and privilege to invite the Tatale Multi-Ethnic Dance Troupe to the arena to perform and also deliver their messages of peace and unity.
Thank you and God Bless Ghana.
NDF Ghana 66 Independence at Tatale MAJOR ALBERT B. DON-CHEBE (RTD) ESQ, – NDF GhanaNDF Ghana 66 Independence at Tatale MAJOR ALBERT B. DON-CHEBE (RTD) ESQ, – NDF Ghana
PRESENTED BY MAJOR ALBERT DON-CHEBE (RTD), CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF), IN TAMALE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2022
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
The Northern Development Forum (NDF), an advocacy group for the integrated development of the five regions of Northern Ghana, have invited you this morning to assist the NDF to throw the searchlight on to the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam Project (PMD), exactly three years i.e. 36 months after sod was cut on 29th November 2019.
The PMD, which has been described by government as “the largest investment ever made by any government in the Northern part of the country” has been described as a multipurpose one because it has been designed to resolve perennial devastating floods caused by spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, provide a reliable water source for dry season agriculture, and double as a source of hydro-power coupled with a solar component. This, would undoubtedly, open up immense opportunities for the socio-economic transformation of Northern Ghana in particular and Ghana as a whole.
Dear Media Professionals;
The centrality of PMD to the accelerated development of Northern Ghana in particular, and Ghana in general, is best understood when the benefits of the project are summarized. The project will result in:
The irrigation of 25,000 hectares of land by gravity (or up to 40,000 ha if pumping is included), which will produce enough rice to reduce our rice importation by 17% and maize importation by 32%, leading to huge savings in scarce foreign exchange and further strengthen the cedi. Other crops like onion, tomatoes, water melon, etc., would also be produced in commercial quantities.
It would be a major stimulus for industrializing the north and the middle-belt of the country.
It will be a major source of employment for young and old and could contribute to reversing the north-south migration especially of young girls seeking neck-breaking work in the cities of southern Ghana, who often end up sexually abused.
The acquisition of additional 60 MW of power to bolster power supply and reduce blackouts in Northern Ghana; consequently, providing stable power to further attract industries and other businesses to Northern Ghana, and also free up power from Akosombo and others for the rest of the country.
The cessation of the annual flooding which have led to the loss of several lives and livelihoods whenever the Bagre Dam is spilled in Burkina Faso.
The development of Aquaculture and Fisheries to boost protein consumption and new livelihoods for the youth.
Provide a potable water source for tens of thousands of people especially in the Upper-East and North-East regions.
The direct and indirect benefits of PMD are actually incalculable. Preliminary estimates of benefits are at best conservative, and given the strategic location of the Project in the very heart of the North, touching all the five regions of Northern Ghana, NDF recognises this project as the missing link in the unpleasant story of underdevelopment in Northern Ghana.
It is in cognizance of this that NDF have lobbied and engaged all governments since 2007 for the construction of this dam. Consequently, NDF have acknowledged 29th November 2019 as the ‘second’ independence day of Northern Ghana, because this was the day our dream started becoming reality. It is therefore very shocking for us to hear that the PMD has been abandoned.
Following contradictory statements from various government appointees, we travelled, last week, to the two major project sites- the Dam site at Kurugu and the irrigation development site at Sariba.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
At Kurugu, we were confronted by utter desolation and loud silence. There was only a heap of chippings to indicate that someone had intended to undertake some form of construction. We proceeded to the irrigation development site, off the Wulugu-Kpasenkpe road. There, we found a well-built work camp, with comfortable dormitories, workshops and dining facilities, large enough to accommodate over 300 workers and large piles of concrete blocks. We found only one (1) worker on site, and no equipment or machinery whatsoever. We were informed that the contractor withdrew from the site in May 2022, following the award of a new contract to them to build an interchange in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
To allay our fears regarding the PMD project, the NDF will appreciate it if the Government could respond to the following questions:
Why has work on the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam been abandoned?
Why has the contractor been deployed to a new government project site when he has not completed a previous government contract which commenced three (3) years ago?
Where did the government find money for this new project when it could not find money for the “single largest investment in Northern Ghana” which would change the lives of over four (4) million people in that catchment area?
Why is it that similar large scale projects in other parts of Ghana have secure and guaranteed funding sources but the PMD has no guaranteed funding source?
What conclusions are citizens of Northern Ghana to draw in the light of this unequal, unfair and unequitable treatment in the distribution and funding of a critical, life-changing and transformational infrastructural investment in Northern Ghana?
The NDF recalls vividly the speech of the President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, during the sod-cutting ceremony three years ago. He said, “this is in fulfilment of the pledge the NPP government made to the people; we do not renege on our promises, we keep them”.
The North was promised a completed transformational project in 50 months. Unfortunately, 36 months down the line, there is very little hope regarding the continuation, let alone the completion, of the project. We therefore appeal to the government to redeem the promise made to the people of Northern Ghana by resuming work on the project. The PMD is the future of Northern development that the North has waited over sixty (60) years for; the kind of transformational infrastructure that have accelerated development in other parts of Ghana such as the Akosombo and Kpong Dams in the Eastern Region, Atuabo Gas Project in the Western Region and the Bui Dam in the Bono Region. All these projects were executed in times of great financial difficulties. None was abandoned because of financial stress. Innovative and creative arrangements were designed by governments of the time to ensure the completion of these iconic projects.
Today, it is the turn of this government to demonstrate innovation, enterprise, ingenuity, diligence and focus to guide the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam to completion. As a comparison, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), costing US$5B with a capacity of 6450 MW i.e. 107x the capacity of PMD and double the total power consumed in Ghana today, was built using resources mobilized from Ethiopians at home and abroad and was constructed largely by Ethiopian engineers, in a country which is, most probably, poorer and as debt-ridden as Ghana.
In sum what the NDF is saying is that the North deserves the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, NOW! We hope that the Government will heed to our call.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
Thank you very much for coming; we hope that you will amplify our voice by disseminating this message as widely as possible.
The Northern Development Forum (NDF) would like to commend President Akufo Addo for his decisive and timely response to the global Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana. We see that the measures adopted are very necessary to safeguard citizens from this deadly attack.
Covid-19 has taken the world by storm. In military parlance, it is like the enemy launching a tactical attack that completely paralyzed the entire military response arsenal of the defense side of the belligerent forces. Comparatively, the Covid-19 attack or invasion of Africa and for that matter Ghana, is just beginning.
The NDF has observed thus far, that this pandemic has, once again, exposed the fragility and vulnerability of Ghanaians and in particular Northern Ghana. The most horrendous reports of human suffering as a result of the lockdown has been about the movement of KAYAYEE back home to their communities in the Northern part of the country. Even children were involved in this situation of misery. While we appreciate Government’s effort to mitigate the plight of the KAYAYEI, we wish to make the following observations and proposals:
1. All the five Regions in Northern Ghana have rather porous borders and the officials are few and ill equipped with resources. We therefore appeal for increased border vigilance, including the deployment of the military to augment the efforts of the Immigration Officials and the provision of adequate logistics.
2. It is quite worrying that there is no single approved centre for Covid-19 testing in the whole of Northern Ghana. We are aware of the two Research Centers in Navrongo and Kintampo and other Regional hospitals and wonder if these could not easily be upgraded to undertake testing for Covid-19. This would ease the national burden currently centered in Accra and Kumasi research centers and would enhance our effectiveness and efficiency in the national fight against the virus.
3. We call for fair and equitable distribution of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to Northern Ghana and other deprived Regions.
4. We have observed that socio-cultural practices and behaviours have a great potential to nullify the national effort at fighting the Covid-19. We call for a targeted support mechanism for Religious and Traditional Leaders in Northern Ghana to engage in systematic efforts at Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) on Covid-19 and public health in general to stem the devastating impact of the pandemic.
5. We have noted that, in anticipation of the lockdown of Accra and Kumasi, mass exodus of female head-porters called KAYAYEI, would occur. We know the dominant communities which these KAYAYEI returned. These include Tolon, Savelugu, Nasia, Wale Wale and Nyankpala. In this regard we are calling for comprehensive testing of these targeted communities that have received mass influx of KAYAYEE. This, we believe, will also improve the Government’s surveillance tracking for cases.
6. The NDF also note with particular appreciation the efforts that were made to restrain the Mass movement of some of the KAYAYEI back to Northern Ghana. We know that this is a very difficult decision to make in balancing individual fundamental rights with the promotion of the common good; especially that the fastest way of spreading this deadly disease is through human movement and contact.
7. We cannot talk about vulnerabilities without remembering some of the communities in Northern Ghana that were devastated by rainstorms, recently. We commiserate with the victims for the losses and harm that they have experienced.
We assure the President and Government of Ghana of our fullest cooperation and support in the common battle to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Northern Development Forum (NDF) has received some funds from the ZAKAT FOUNDATION for the purpose of sponsoring young people who are in need of financial support. The scholarships are for fresh or continuing Students in Tertiary Institution in Ghana.
Interested persons may access the funds by applying to: The NDF Fund Manager of the ZAKAT Foundation Grant Northern Development Forum P.O. Box CT 1540 Cantonments Accra Email: [email protected]
All applicants should include a written recommendation of a member of NDF in good standing.
Deadline for submission of applications is October 31, 2013
Mrs. Comfort Aniagyei, Managing Director of GhanaMade, a company that promotes and markets made in Ghana products, has called on government to enable them compete favorably with their foreign counterparts.
She said the cost of most imported products were comparably cheaper because of incentives producers receive from their respective governments.
Mrs. Aniagyei made the call here on Saturday during the launch of high quality Ghana rice named ‘Northern Star.’
Northern star, parboiled rice produced in the Northern Ghana has many excellent qualities.
Mrs. Aniagyei said there was the need to process more of our raw materials and consume more local products in other to spur the growth of the economy.
She said products in Ghana made are of high quality and have improved packages.
She said: “Any time a Ghanaian buys a foreign product and ignore its local alternative; he has made that coutry richer and created employment to the detriment of Ghana”.
Mrs. Aniagyei said GhanaMade has established 15 outlets in Tema, Accra, Ashaiman and Asamankese and was poised to expand to other areas so as to promote Ghanaian products and create more employment.
Mr. Joseph Gayin, a research scientist with the Food Research Institute, extolling the qualities of Northern Star, said it contained essential vitamins such as vitamin B, consist of whole grain, good flavoured, grains do not stick, translucent and recommended it for diabetic patients.
He, however, expressed concern that though rice could be grown in all the ten regions of the country only 30 percent of the rice consumed is produced locally.
“That is a clear indication that we provide market and employment for foreigners,” he said.
Prof. Lade Worsonu, a renowned surgeon, who was the guest speaker, in reference to a Ga proverb that says it is your favourite food that kills you, advised Ghanaian to let food be their only medicine.
In line with that, he urged Ghanaian to choose foods that were wholesome and healthy especially foods sold by Ghana Made shops.
Prof. Worsonu noted that unemployment was a disease, adding that GhanaMade by creating jobs for Ghanaians was helping with their wellness.
He said the management of GhanaMade consisted of a doctor and an accountant and by combining their resources they would ensure that products were healthy and affordable.
