Our two initiatives if successfully implemented could reduce poverty in northern Ghana, SADA claims
The Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is optimistic that its two initiatives launched in Accra, would successfully address the problem of poverty in the SADA.
The authority, as part of its facilitating role in driving the development agenda of the savanna ecological zone, launched the “Agricultural Investment Guide and the Master-Planning” for the transformation of the northern Savannah ecological zone, purpose, process and products.
The launch, which was witnessed by high ranking government officials, the various political parties and the trade and industry ministry as well as development partners, was seen as the biggest step in identifying each district’s business potential in the area.
Officials of SADA believe with the support of every Ghanaian, the SADA dream of ending the woes of poverty endemic in areas in the SADA zone would be realized.
The SADA master-planning document’s main purpose is to find answers to what needs to done in order to harness the vast resources of the zone to accelerate development, transform and eliminate extreme poverty and bridge the development gap in an environmentally-sustainable way in the shortest possible time.
Explaining the SADA master-planning document to the media in Tamale, the director of Integrated Development Programs, Dr. Emmanuel Abeere said through the plan, the whole of Tamale can be demolished and reconstructed to look like Dubai. The document touches on “almost all sectors of the economy in the MMDAS.
The University of Development Studies and the Damongo Agricultural College are partnering SADA in the implementation of the two initiatives.
Explaining the initiatives further, Dr Abeere said the European Union (EU) is more interested in national policies geared at addressing small holder farmers’ problems.
“Small holder farmers are critical and if SADA leaves them out, alleviating poverty will fail,” Dr. Abeere said, adding that SADA is working hard to ensure that small holder farmers are empowered.
Answering questions on the dry farming season in the zone, Dr. Abeere said SADA Zone can’t do anything in agriculture without irrigation adding that the solution to the problems associated with the Bagre Dam spillage is when the Pwalugu dam comes on stream.
He also announced that the authority will engage the services of experts from Singapore to tap their expertise in transforming cities within the SADA zone. The engagement with the Singaporeans he said is to reactivate the Town and Country Planning Department.
They Singaporeans, he explained, will train some economists at the national level and staff of the Town and Country Planning Department.
The dream is that Tamale and some towns in the SADA zone become like Dubai. The master plan will cover all plans of different areas, he disclosed.
