By Lillian Walter.
The Tamale Dakpema, Naa Alhassan Mohammed Dawuni has appealed to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to support his education fund to take care of needy but brilliant children through school.
The traditional leader made the appeal during a regional sensitization and capacity building forum held in Tamale on Friday.
Organized under the auspices of a coalition of SADA zone civil society organizations led by the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy(NOPRA) in collaboration with the Concerned Citizens Association of Tamale (CCAT), the forum brought together Civil Society organizations(CSOs), the media and representatives of chiefs and people of the northern region to increase their understanding of the law establishing SADA and its strategy. The idea behind it was to enable these groups play an active role and participate effectively in decision making relating to the implementation of the authority’s programmes.
Additionally, the forum also addressed the age-old development imbalances and inequalities between the northern Savannah Ecological Zone and the rest of the country.
Making his appeal for financial support, the traditional leader noted that education is the key to national development, thus the need for an infusion of funds. The Dakpema fund was established some years ago to solicit financial support from corporate bodies, individuals and organizations to help finance the education of disadvantaged school children. Since its creation, the fund has received some support from philanthropists but that has not kept pace with the number of needy students, hence the appeal.
SADA officials told participants at the forum that the authority would execute community-driven development programs geared at stimulating the modernization of agricultural development and competitiveness of small holders in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone through improved technology to promote efficiency for the domestic and export markets.
Briefing participants on SADA’s Act 2010, the authority’s director of corporate affairs, Mr. Sam Danse revealed that the Act is the first of its kind in the country’s history. “There are a lot of untapped investment potentials in the northern region, which need to be discovered by investors,” Mr Danse stated. He appealed to the public not to associate SADA with any political party.
