A timeline account, detailing the history of
Northern Developmental Forum.
Since its formation on September 30, 2007, the Executive members of NDF have met or have had contact with the following stakeholders:
a) The Former Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency, Alhaji Aliu Mahama.
b) Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse Chief Advisor to the President of the Republic of Ghana for her overwhelming passion and vision for development in northern Ghana. And for having contributed to Government’s bold initiative on the establishment of the Northern Development Fund. See letter of Appreciation of November 21, 2007.
c) The former members of the Council of State from the three Northern Regions on December 20, 2007
d) Members of Parliament from the three Northern Regions on November 8, 2007 and in 2008, and 2009.
e) The Regional Houses of Chiefs of the three regions.
f) Chief Directors and Directors from the North working at the various ministries in Accra and other regions
g) Some Partner /Donor Agencies. OXFAM, etc.
h) Civil Societies: WANEP, and 1(0ne) Ghana for Peace Initiative of Musician Obuor.
i) Identifiable Associations from the North like: BONABOTO, Upper East Association in Sekondi- Takoradi, etc.
2007
November 22: Press Conference in Accra on the devastating effects caused by the floods in the three Northern Regions of Ghana.
2008
May 13: Press Release on the Violence in Bawku and again on November 11, 2008
NDF Meeting with Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu at his residence.
November 11: The Northern Development Forum sent a letter to the Speaker of Parliament expressing its appreciation and gratitude to him and all the members of Parliament for having passed the Bill on the Northern Development Fund.
2009
Chairman of NDF welcomed President Mills to the Upper West Region
Congratulatory Letters from NDF to President John Atta-Mills and Vice President John Mahama on their election as Presidents of Ghana.
Meeting of Ministers convened by the Vice President early this year on Savannah Accelerated Development Authority(SADA)
NDF at Policy Briefing Meeting with Development Partners on Northern Development-SADA on April 23, 2009 in Accra.
On July 29, 2009 NDF Executive paid a courtesy call on the Vice-President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramami Mahama at the Castle, Osu.
NDF and SEND-Ghana organized a stakeholder’s forum on September 24, 2009 in Tamale on The Northern Development Agenda.
November 29 Press Conference on SADA.
2010
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES OF NDF IN 2010
1) First General Meeting of the NDF for the year 2010 was held in Accra on Sunday, January 31.
2) The Chairman of NDF, Dr. Wemah and some members of the Executive Council had a meeting with the Deputy Head of Mission of the Netherlands Embassy,Mr. Michiel Bierkens, on February 3, 2010 at the Dutch Embassy in Accra.
3) Members of the Council of State from the three Northern Regions received NDF officials at the Residence of His Excellency, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu on Friday, February 5, 2010.
4) NDF Officials met two officials of the Commercial Section of the Spanish Embassy ( Madam Maria del Coriseo Gonzalez-Izquierdo Head of Section and Mr. Luis Miguel Veral Contreras, Market Analyst) on Monday, February 22, 2010.
5) On Wednesday, March 3, 2010, NDF had a meeting with the Counsellor (Development) Deputy Director, Planning and Programming of the Canadian High Commission, Mr. Ian Myles.
6) The Chairman of NDF, Dr. Wemah and Mrs. Susana Mahama ( Rep. of UER) took part in a Stakeholders Consultation on Bawku that was held in Kumasi from March 12-14,2010.
7) NDF had a short meeting with Mr. A. Dornon of the French Embassy on Wednesday, March 17, 2010.
8) An emergency meeting of the Executive of the NDF was held in Accra on March 17, regarding a statement issued by Northern Youth for Peace and Development (NYPD) in Tamale. The concern expressed by the NYPD was about the management of SADA. It bordered more on negative ethnic sentiments. Dr. Wemah was therefore kindly asked to travel to Tamale in order to address the issue with those concerned.
On June 21, 2010 NDF sent a memo on its comments to Parliament on the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority ( SADA) Bill.
August 24: Press Conference on the SADA Bill was held at the Ghana International Press Centre (GIPC), Accra.
November 2: A Press Release was issued calling for concrete action for the development of the North.
November 21-24 :The Northern Development Forum (NDF) in collaboration with SEND-Ghana held a one-day national Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Alternative Financing for SADA at the GILBERT Conference Centre in Tamale from October 17, 2010. The Vice-President of Ghana, Mr. John D. Mahama, Development Partners and Experts addressed the participants.
2011
January 4, NDF sent congratulatory letters to the following:
a) Mr. Prince Andani on his appointment as Chairman of SADA
b) Alhaji G. Iddi on his appointment as CEO of SADA
January 17: NDF received its Certificate of Incorporation from the Registrar General’s Department.
September 20: NDF sent a congratulatory letter to His. Excellency, Mr. John Mahama on his having been retained by President John Evans Atta-Mills as his running mate for the 2012 Presidential election.
November 23 : The Northern Development Forum (NDF) in collaboration with the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS); West Africa Network for Peace ( WANEP) and the Ghana-Denmark Community Association organised to three-day workshop at the GILBERT Conference Centre in Tamale from Monday, November 21 – Wednesday, November 23, 2011. The theme for the workshop was: Development Effectiveness in Northern Ghana in the Context of Ghana’s Middle-income Status and Oil Economy.
The workshop was intended for the collective search for solutions to problems confronting the three Northern Regions. It was expected that participants at this workshop would put critical issues affecting the developments of these regions on the public agenda with the view to gaining favourable responses from policy makers on the 2012 National Budget.
December 13: NDF had its first meeting with the Chairman of SADA Board in Accra. The meeting discussed NDF’s Relations with SADA – Concerns of members e. g management staff, transparency and judicious of use of funds, clarification on National budget allocations, investment opportunities, Donors Conference.
2012
April 30: NDF sent congratulatory messages to the following:
a) Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for having been retained as Vice-Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)
b) Hassan Ayariga, for having been elected Presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC)
c) Dr. M. Abu Forster, for having been elected Presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP)
May 28: NDF’s Constitution was approved on Sunday, May 27 and officially adopted on Monday, May 28.
June 8: NDF issued a Press on the conflicts in several places in the three Northern regions of Ghana.
=====================================================