Kwame Jantuah, a leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has reiterated the need for a comprehensive national development plan aimed at transforming northern Ghana, describing the region as a strategic entry point into the wider West African sub-region.
Speaking on GHToday with Lily Mohammed, Mr. Jantuah stressed that the North holds untapped potential that, if properly developed, could significantly boost Ghana’s economy and enhance regional trade and integration.
“We need to think holistically. I have said, and I continue to say, and it looks as if it’s falling on deaf ears, we need a national development plan for the North. Because why? It is the entry into the other parts of the sub-region,” he stated.
He likened the opportunity to Nigeria’s transformation of Abuja, which evolved into a major metropolis after being deliberately developed to serve as the new capital.
“If we were to develop the North like any of the major cities we have, do you know how many people would want to go there? The kind of businesses, the kind of schools? People would want to migrate there. And what does it do? It stops rural-urban migration to some point,” Jantuah explained.
Kwame Jantuah also called for the harnessing of the North’s water resources, improved road and rail networks, and targeted infrastructure investment to attract professionals and businesses alike.
“When you get fresh lawyers, fresh doctors, fresh accountants, fresh professionals coming out of university, they would all want to go to the North — because the place is developed,” he said.
Mr. Jantuah emphasized that developing northern Ghana would not only reduce pressure on urban centers in the south but also position Ghana as a central gateway for landlocked countries in the sub-region, thanks to its coastal access and port facilities.
“We need to put our minds together and put this plan together. Find the money to put the necessary infrastructure in the North to open the place up,” he concluded.
Source: Ghana/Startfm.com.gh/Emmanuel Mensah
