I’ll make North attractive to curb migration — Northern Regional Minister designate

The Minister Designate for the Northern Region, Ali Adolf John, has stated that he will put in place stringent measures to curb the migration of the youth from the region southwards in search of greener pastures most of whom end up in menial employment; a phenomenon that has plagued the North for decades.

 He pledged to make the region and its districts “attractive” by paying master craftsmen and tutors to provide apprenticeship programmes and entrepreneurial skills training accompanied by ready jobs to economically empower the younger generation and discourage them from moving to Accra and other major cities down south.

“The best I can do is to make home a very attractive place so that we don't get more girls and boys migrating from the northern region to any part of the south.

For all you know, some of them come all the way from the north to Accra just because their target is to buy a sewing machine but find themselves doing something different,” he said, stressing that putting such packages in place would not only retain the youth but would also encourage their peers already in the south to “run back home.”

Mr John, who is the Regional Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), made the remarks when she appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament for his confirmation hearing yesterday.

Agriculture

Describing the region as the food basket of the country, the Minister designate for the Northern Region also pledged to mechanise agriculture to boost job creation and improve the economic situation of the people.

“If you look into the NDC manifesto for the agricultural sector, we have planned to provide mechanisation centres in all districts in the country.

This is a policy I am going to attach serious interest to.

We know very well the Northern Region is the food basket of the nation and I will do whatever in my capacity as a Regional Minister to ensure these centres function very well,” he said.  

Mr John also stated that to prove his seriousness, he would severely deal with any local government authority who “abuses” the NDC’s initiative and emphasised that he was ready to provide the necessary assistance to investors interested in various agriculture activities. 

Conflicts, security

Touching on security, Mr John said he would periodically consult with traditional authorities, the Regional Security Council and other state security agencies to pre-emptively proffer solutions to chieftaincy or tribal disputes that might pose threats to the peace in the region.

He explained that as a native of the region who had, at one point or the other worked across many of the various ethnic communities that inhabited the region, he was well equipped to handle moments of tension.

“My focus will be on conflict prevention.

We all know there are root causes and the goal is to address those causes.

So I will ensure that every DCE reports whatever disturbances no matter how small to ensure we deal with them before they escalate, he said.