Courtesy Call on Northern Members of the Council of State of Ghana by Officials and Members of the Northern Development Forum at the State House, Accra
on Thursday, December 20, 2007.
A. COUNCIL OF STATE MEMBERS
1. HON. MR CLEMENT K. TEDAM, CHAIRMAN OF THE
NORTHERN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE
2. HON. ALHAJI ALHASSAN BIN-SALIH
3. HON. NAA THOMAS TIA SULEMANA
4. HON. KUORU KURI-BUKTIE LIMANN IV – UPPER WEST
5. HON. MR FRANCIS ASIANAB AFOKO – UPPER EAST
Absent with Apology
6. HON. NAA PROF. JOHN S. NABILA NORTHERN REGION
B. NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM MEMBERS
1. Dr. Hakeem Wemah – Chairman of the NDF
2. Mr. Adam Sulley – Representative of the UWR and Chairman of the Fin. And Fundraising Committee.
3. Dr. Hafiz Adam – Representative of the Northern Region
4. Dr. Sulley Gariba – Ex-Officio Member
5. Ben Assorow – Ex-Officio Member
Absent with Apology
1. Mrs. Susanna Mahama – Representative of the Upper East
Region
Introduction
Following a request by the Chairman of NDF to the Northern members on the Council of State a meeting was held between the two bodies on Thursday December 20, 2007 at the Conference Hall of the Council of State, Accra.
1.0 The meeting stated at 10.45 a.m. with a prayer by Ben Assorow. Hon. C. K. Tedam who chaired welcomed the NDF delegation to the meeting
2.0 Dr. Wemah on behalf of the NDF expressed appreciation to the Council of State members for having agreed to receive him and his delegation. This was immediately followed by self-introduction of members of both parties
3.0 Briefing on the NDF
Dr. Wemah then briefed the Council of State members on the activities of the NDF, these include:
i) The ‘First’ meeting of NDF that took place on Sunday, September 30, 2007 in Accra in the wake of the floods that hit the north and other parts of Ghana last year,
ii) Distribution of Relief items to the three Northern Regions by the NDF.
iii) Courtesy calls on the Vice-President of Ghana , His Excellency Aliu Mahama, and the Caucus of Northern Members of Parliament at Parliament House, Accra
iv) Press Conference on NDF and the preparation of a memo to be submitted to the Government of Ghana.
v) Future plans of NDF e.g. visits to Regional Houses of Chiefs in the three Northern Regions.
Details of item i – v may be found in one or the other attached documents on the NDF.
5.0 Mr. Adam Sulley gave a brief report on the financial and fund-raising activities planned to be carried out in Accra and other parts of the country.
6.0 Dr. Sulley Gariba informed the meeting about the Round-Table on the Special Initiative for Sustainable Development in Northern Ghana and the Communiqué that was issued following that meeting. (copies of the communiqué were given to the Council of State members).
The NDF delegation emphasised on the need to get the Government of Ghana to put in place measures for the proper management of the Northern Development Fund that the latter has established.
7.0 Contributions from the Council of State Members
7.1 Hon. Kuoru Kuri-Baktie Limann IV
He commended the NDF for their laudable ideas and activities. He was of the hope that measures being carried out by the NDF will go a long way to improve the development process in the three Northern Regions.
He recalled that the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs was about the first to make a donation of ¢2 million cedis to be flood victims in the Builsa District, (This was done before the floods hit his own Region- UWR).
He stressed the enormous contribution that people from the North have made to the development of Ghana for which they have a legitimate claim to a fair distribution share of the nation’s resources.
7.2 Hon. Alhaji Bin-Salih
Adding his voice in commending the NDF, Hon. Alhaji Bin-Salih said “It is a real source of pleasure to learn about all that you are doing for our people. ….you will not fail because you recognise your elders!”
He recounted some factors that militate against getting people from the North united and to work with a common purpose and destiny. He advised the NDF not to let religion and partisan politics to interfere in their activities.
7.3 Hon. Naa Thomas Tia Sulemana
Hon Naa Sulemana promised the NDF the advice and assistance of the Council of State members, adding that “if you (NDF) fail it will also be a failure on our part”
7.4 Hon Mr. Francis Afoko
In his contribution Hon. Afoko prayed and hoped that the NDF will stay alive and united. “Often than not groups of this nature get destroyed due to internal end external factors. Please do all within your means to keep NDF alive and active.
7.5 Hon. C. K. Tedam
In his opening remarks, Hon Tedam gave a brief history of the political developments in the northern parts of Ghana and the formation of the Northern Peoples Party in 1954.
He informed the NDF that when the floods started the Council of State discussed the matter with Sector Ministers , they also carried out other activities behind the scenes for the development of the North.
He called on the NDF to intensify their efforts in finding lasting solutions to bridge the big developmental gab between the North and South of Ghana. He hoped that the NDF would truly become a platform or mouthpiece for addressing the integral development needs of the three Northern Regions. “We will give you the support that you need and in turn call on you to sacrifice for the success of this laudable venture.
7.0 Appreciation and Thanks
The Chairman of the NDF, Dr. Wemah thanked the Council of State members and was highly impressed that they are doing a lot behind the scenes. He congratulated them for all that they are doing for the three Northern Regions.
He asked the Council members to rest assured that NDF treasures their wise and fatherly counsel and will keep them informed and/or involved in the activities of the NDF.
Dr. Hafiz on his part was grateful for having had the opportunity of meeting the members of the Council of State and hoped that there will be frequent interactions between the NDF and Council.
9.0 Closing
The meeting came to a close at 11.55 following a prayer by
Hon. Bin-Salih.
Recorded by Ben Assorow
