Disregard negative propaganda surrounding proposed Oti Region

The chiefs and people of the Buem Traditional Area in the Volta Region have urged the public to disregard what they termed as negative propaganda and threats of conflicts surrounding the proposed Oti Region yet to be created by government.

They have consequently expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for facilitating the constitutional process in the creation of the region, which they say is in the interest of development.

At a press conference at Jasikan at the weekend to respond to what they termed as negative reactions from sections of the Volta Region on the proposed region, the Buem chiefs reiterated the argument that the new region would serve the Oti enclave located in the upper part of the Volta Region better in achieving their development goals.

They said the old structures for the development of the Volta Region have not worked and there is an overriding demand by the people for a change in the existing dynamics.

Nana Opraw Akuamoah VIII, the acting President of the Buem Traditional Council, addressed the media on behalf of the other chiefs and the people.

Chiefs present

Present at the press conference were Nana Owusu Oware V of Teteman, Nana Asiedu Agyedu IV of Atonkor, Nana Adabra Koranteng III of Bodada, Nana Kwame Akoto II of New Ayoma, Nana Obeng Ofori Appew VI of Guaman, Nana Kofi Osei II of Old Ayoma and Nana Kwaku Duah III of Old Baika.

Others were Nana Oppong Kyekyeku V of Akaa, Nana Odam Siaw V of Nsuta, Nana Barima Kumasey Bonsi II of Baglo, Nana Appau I of Baglo Odumasi, Nana Oradua III of Kudje and Nana Agyedubea I, the Queenmother of Atonkor.

“Indeed, we wish to refer to Prof. Kofi Kumado’s statement in his lecture that: ‘These new regions would also help in our desire to develop the whole country more equitably.’ This is all we demand for Oti, and we believe same for all the new regions as well. For now, it is lopsided development on all fronts in the Oti enclave,” they said.

They maintained that majority of the people in the area felt the need to have a region for themselves in order to halt the continuous deprivation and underdevelopment being suffered by the people.

Explaining, they said they petitioned the two leading presidential candidates, then President John Mahama and candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the creation of the new region on assumption of office during the 2016 election campaign.

Oti agenda

They said based on the comparatively high development deficit in the Oti area, four previous petitions for the creation of the Oti Region to arrest the situation and foster development were presented to the respective leaders of Ghana in 1970, 1992, 2003 and 2006 but it yielded no results.

This, they said was evident that the call for the creation of the Oti Region did not start only in 2017.

source: Graphic Online