The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed has promised to turn the capital city of Tamale into a first class metropolis comparable to cities in Saudi Arabia.
Mr Saeed said he will execute that agenda with the support of Chiefs and the Tamale metropolitan assembly and the Sagnarigu district assembly.
Speaking at the Gulkpe Naa palace as part of his four day tour to pay courtesy calls on Chiefs and religious leaders, Mr Sa-eed said his administration is committed to alleviating poverty in the region.
“I will be the link between the Chiefs and the presidency for issues affecting the region,” he assured the Chiefs.
According to the minister, a lot factories have been built in Kumasi and Accra and investors are interested in investing in the north. “The cardinal focus of my responsibility is to constantly consult the custodians of the land to help improve the livelihoods of the people”, Mr Sa-eed said.
On his part, the Gulpke Naa, Alhaji Abdulai Alhassan assured the minister of his palace readiness to develop Tamale. He described the President, Nana Addo as a man of peace and pointed to the president remarkable patience when he tried twice and failed to win the presidency. The Gulkpe Naa said, the peaceful nature of the last elections demonstrates that Nana is not a violent person and any act of violence cannot be attributed to him
At the Dakpemah palace, the minister emphasized his commitment to working with Chiefs in the region, especially the traditional leaders. “There will peace in the country, particularly in the northern region,” adding that under the leadership of president Nana Addo, Tamale will be a city not only for the north but for the Sahelian region.
“Investors will come and plead with Chiefs to make land available for investment. The NPP government is business oriented and unemployed youth will definitely get jobs, Mr Sa-eed added.
At the Tamale Dakpemah palace, the northern regional chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party, Mr. Abdul Fatawu Daniel Bugri Naabu, told the chief that the number one enemy of the north is poverty and that the NPP government will map out efforts to address it.
The Tamale Dakpemah, Alhaji Alhassan Mohammed Dawuni assured the minister of his palace support to develop Tamale. He called for patience with the leadership in handling the youth.
“It is unfortunate that most the youth some of whom are fathers are idle. It is my prayer that president’s free SHS policy will be implemented to reduce the burden on me.”
He said there is so much pressure on the educational fund his palace estableshes and urged chairman Bugri and the leadership to exercise high sense of responsibility because some of the youth are stubborn.
The minister also called on the chief of Banvum, Banvumlana Mahama Abdulai, the Lamasheinaa, Naa, Alhaji Ziblim Abdulai, Guma Naa and the Sagnari Naa, Yakubu Abdulai.
