A group in the Northern Region calling for the creation of an Eastern Corridor Region Tuesday stormed the Radach Conference Centre in Tamale, where the 9-member commission of inquiry for the creation of the new regions begun a public hearing on the petition by the Gonjas for the creation of a proposed Savannah Region.
The group, Coalition of Eastern Corridor Youth, came to the event ground to protest and complain directly before members of the commission for failing to consider their petition for the creation of an Eastern Corridor Region.
Dozens from the Gonjaland Traditional Area had massed at the hall to present their views on the quest for a new Savanna Region to the nine member committee fact finding on their demand.
The Eastern Corridor protesters attended the meeting and lurked around until the sitting was over, before they confronted the Justice Stephen Brobbey-led committee through a press conference.
Alhassan Iddrisu, spokesman for the group said it was sad the commission decided to exclude them from the regional reorganization processes despite receiving five distinct petitions from them.
“After the submission of all these petitions, we’re disappointed when we saw the itinerary of the committee of enquiry, because we realized the Eastern Corridor had been left out; that was sad. So we came here today [Tuesday], to express our disgust at the turns of events, and let the president know, that we the people of the Eastern Corridor do feel like we have been sidelined.”
Protests for the creation of an Eastern Corridor Region has created intense friction between the Dagbon Traditional Council and some youth in the eastern corridor enclave of the northern region.
The Traditional Council after a meeting allegedly graced by regional opposition politicians warned the commission not to cede any Dagbon land if it were to create a proposed eastern corridor region.
The council contended that the creation of the proposed Eastern Corridor Region will divide Dagbon into two fronts and limit the powers of the traditional overlord.
Several protests including street demonstrations by the youth have, been contemptibly brushed off, failing to cause the Council to rescind.
The group criticized the decision by the Dagbon Traditional Council as politically induced and lamented that it was unfortunate the Commission listened to the warning.
It has therefore pleaded to president Akufo-Addo to intervene by ordering the inquiry Commission to include the chiefs and people of the proposed Eastern Corridor Region in the ongoing regional reorganization procedures.
“The people of the Eastern Corridor want development and the people of the Eastern Corridor are calling on the president of the Republic of Ghana to use his good office to ensure that the course of justice is served, that the people of the Eastern Corridor have an opportunity to interact with the Commission of inquiry to ensure that their voice is heard and their issue is addressed,” it said.
The people are also reminding the president to fulfill his campaign pledge of creating an Eastern Corridor Region and want him to ensure the region is created.
“We are one and we want to be together and we think the president must listen to our voice. We are pleading that he walks his talk. He has said, time and again during the campaign and even afterwards, that he would create the Eastern Corridor Region, we are calling on Mr. President to ensure that the Eastern Corridor Region is created,” demanded the group.
The nine-member committee led by Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Brobbey, is in the region for two weeks to collate views of chiefs and people of the Mamprugu and Gonjaland Traditional Areas respectively who presented petitions for the split of the Northern Region.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Eliasu Tanko
