Upper West: Small region with big issues
<!--[if gte mso 9]> Advertisement This summed up the frustration of Baba Mwin, (not real name) when a group of people recently opposed the nomination of Mr Abu kabiebata Kasangbata (ABU K. K.) as the deputy Upper West Regional Minister designate by President John Mahama. This group vandalised the posters of the President to register their protest. Background This is not the first time the region has witnessed such an unfortunate situation. At least, being the least developed and the youngest to be created, one would have expected that the region would be politically stable for rapid development. One recalls that during the era of Ex – President J.J. Rawlings , precisely in 1998, an educationist, Mr Mahmud Khalid was nominated, vetted and approved by Parliament as the deputy regional minister and just some few minutes before his swearing- in at the seat of government at the Osu Castle, he was made to step aside for Mr Bede Ziedeng now the Northern Regional Minister . Then in 2001, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under Ex – President J. A. Kufuor made Mr Sahanoun Mogtari as the regional minister and before one could say jack, hell broke loose with a group later to be known as the “TALIBANS” burnt party cars and destroyed properties worth thousands of new Ghana cedis. The reason being their preferred choice, Mr Clement Eledi who contested and lost the Wa central seat was not chosen. This acrimonious and antagonistic relationship continued till Mr Mogtari was sent of Burkina Faso as Ghana’s Ambassador and Mr Ambrose Dery made the Regional Minister. Even then, this sour relationship continued and no wonder when Mr Dery was replaced by Mr George Hikah Benson, a section of NPP supporters in the Wa municipality went on a picnic. In 2008, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won power, Mr Mahmud Khalid, was subsequently made the Regional Minister. Ask why? Less than two years into his stewardship, Mr Khalid had fallen out of favour with his party people with the reason being he was non-conforming to the whims and caprices and would not allow himself to be dictated to by his party ‘big wigs’ in the region. The end result was that NDC party “apparatchikis” took the offices of the Regional Co-ordinating Council by storm one morning in May 2010, hijacked tender documents and burnt them publicly. The volatile situation led to the immediate dismissal of Mr Khalid from office by the late President J.E.A. Mills. The return of Alhaji Amidu Suleimana who came to replace Alhaji Issahaku Salia brought absolute peace within the region. The appointment of Mr Bede Ziedeng as the Regional Minister recently brought some hope because it was believed that he was going to build on the legacy of his predecessor but again the peace being enjoyed politically in the region was disturbed briefly when Mr Kasangbata, was nominated as the deputy Regional Minister. Reasons for such behaviours in the Upper West Region The Upper West region purely has an agrarian economy. There are no industries like other regions of the country and apart from buying and selling, the only employment opportunities are in the civil and public service. It is also worth -mentioning that, this is the only region where every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to become a contractor. Even a motorbike mechanic (SORRY), whether, he or she has the technical ability wants to be known as a contractor because that is what brings quick money. Therefore, such a person would move heaven and earth to be in the good books of the government appointee when they realise that such expectations are not being forthcoming, then comes trouble. Again, it is the region with the highest infant and maternal mortality rate, it is also the first on the poverty index in Ghana, it has unmotorable roads, inadequate medical facilities and human resource, yet it is the region which is always up in arms anytime there is an appointment by government. The second issue is about cronyism where people think that their close pals must and automatically be appointed to such high office to enable them enjoy part of the largesse and pecks that their friends would be expected to benefit from. Thirdly is ethnicity. The Upper West Region has three main groups namely Walas, Sisallas and Dagaabas/Lobis with few minority groupings such as the Chakalos. So when appointments are made and there is no ethnic balance, problems crop up. Advertisement For example, to the people of the region, it is unwise to make two Dagaabas regional and deputy regional ministers. Their expectation is that all appointments must be well-blended, that is, if a Dagao is appointed a regional minister, his deputy must be a Sissala or Wala and vice versa. It is in this vein that the recent ministerial reshuffle of Mr Bede Ziedeng , a Dagao,to the Northern region, was welcome news to many because pairing Mr Kasangbata, also a Dagao would have created problems in the region. Finally, religious issues are very sensitive in this part of the country and any attempt to let one particular sect dominate the politically – echelon in the region would surely backfire. Conclusion It is recommended that all appointments in the Upper West region need in-depth consultations involving all stakeholders. This is because there is the realisation that not much consultations are done when appointments are made, hence, the usual confrontations and agitations anytime somebody is appointed. Advertisement It is also believed that some people from the region in successive governments have made themselves “tingods” and always dictate to the powers that be when the time came for appointments to be made. People from the region must also shed the idea that apart from winning contracts through their political connections, they cannot survive on any other alternative vocation. The issues of “you being one of us and vice versa, must also be a practice of the past so that everybody will have an equal share in distributing the resources of the land. Again, the youth of the region, particularly, the political footsoldiers must take advantage of LESDEP, and other programmes rolled up by the government for their benefit. They must also be encouraged to concentrate more on educating themselves through formal education since that is the only sustainable way to secure their future. Article by George Folley & Chris NunooOther Trending Stories
