By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, March 8, GNA – The United Kingdom High Commission in Ghana has reiterated its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council to enhance socioeconomic development and promote peace.
A delegation from the UK High Commission, focused on Northern Ghana, met with Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister over the weekend in Bolgatanga to discuss development priorities and security collaboration including efforts to resolve the Bawku chieftaincy conflict.
The discussions underscored mutual interest in deepening partnerships, with the UK delegation pledging to review priorities for the region, enhance its operation to better complement the government efforts to address challenges facing the people.
In an interaction with the Regional Minister, Mr Paul Edward, Senior Counselor to the UK High Commission in Ghana, who led the delegation, underscored the urgent need for direct engagement with local stakeholders to shape effective policies to enhance development and livelihoods of the vulnerable.
“We cannot fully understand Northern Ghana without visiting and listening to those on the ground,” Edward stated, adding that such dialogues ensured UK initiatives “move in the right direction.”
According to Mr Edward, the UK had over the years had partnered various stakeholders and institutions in the region to promote development, highlighting existing UK-backed projects in the region, including security assistance to civil society groups and non-governmental organisations working to combat violent extremism.
He further mentioned the AfriKids Ghana initiative as one of the social change interventions the UK government had undertaken in the region, adding that the initiative had over the years supported to provide quality education and healthcare to the people in the region especially the vulnerable.
The Senior Counselor reiterated the commitment of the UK government to help in resolving the protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict in whichever way it could ensure lasting peace returned to the area for accelerated development.
On his part, Mr Akamugri said the Bawku conflict was the top priority for the region and informed the delegation of the commitment of the Ghana government to permanently resolve the conflict, indicating that the government had initiated a multifaceted approach to addressing the crisis.
He said the roadmap which would include mediation would be led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the King of the Ashanti Kingdom and called for support to ensure that lasting peace was reached.
Mr Akamugri emphasized the role of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) in identifying signs and signals of violence through surveillance and intelligence gathering and however noted logistical shortfalls as significant challenge confronting their efforts and called for assistance in that regard.
“Vehicles and surveillance drones would significantly enhance our capacity to monitor threats and prevent escalation,” the Regional Minister said.
Mr brahim Abdul-Kadir Al-Hassan, the Regional Planning Officer and Acting Coordinating Director, Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, mentioned youth unemployment, educational infrastructure gaps, and limited access to irrigation systems for year-round farming as critical challenges facing the region.
“Irrigation support and access to improved modern farming tools would unlock agricultural opportunities for the youth and strengthen Ghana’s food security,” he stressed.
Also, he said there was the need for strategic investment in healthcare infrastructure, particularly upgrading the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to provide quality healthcare to the people.
GNA
FAA/KOA