Lack of infrastructure causing social disorder in Bunkpurugu

Bunkpurugu (N/R), Dec. 17, GNA - Inadequate provision of basic infrastructure and social amenities in the newly created Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District is causing social and economic disorders in the area, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) has learnt.

The road network in the area is very poor; the district has no communication and electricity facilities and potable water. People in the district either have to travel 36 miles to Nalerigu in the East Mamprisu District or neighbouring Togo to make telephone calls at an exorbitant cost. They also receive television signals from Togo, as signals from Ghana are not clear in the area.

A visit to the district capital, Bunkpurugu by the GNA found out that as a result of the inadequacies in development, government workers were refusing to take transfer to the district while private individuals were also declining to establish businesses there.

This led to the nick-naming of the area as "a State within the Ghana State or an orphaned district".

Mr Gard kanturib, a teacher at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Senior Secondary School in Tamale, told the GNA that about two-thirds of the youth had migrated either to the southern parts of the country or to Ivory Coast to work on cocoa plantations.

He said 80 per cent of educated youth from the area were also working outside the district.

All these not withstanding, there is serious internal strife within the local branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP); a circumstance many people said was affecting the development of the district.

Mr Rafig Barley, an opinion leader said 'the confusion' in the NPP was fuelling security unrest among the three ethnic groups, namely the Binmobas, Konkonbas and the Mamprusis.

He said there had been demonstrations and counter demonstrations, unanimous letter writing among members of the ruling NPP from these ethnic groups, some in favour of the District Chief Executive, Madam Princess Elizabeth Pijit Tuyari and others in favour of Lawyer Dubik Y. Mahama.

Madam Tuyari is a Konkonba and Lawyer Mahama a Binmoba. Mr. Barley said because of the state of affairs, the DCE spent all her time in either travelling to Accra or Tamale to answer queries. "Those of us who are supporters of the NPP are worried about the political wrangling and I wish to appeal to the National Executives of the NPP to come down to Bunkpurugu to consult the chiefs and people of the area to find an amicable solution to the problem before it escalates into a conflict situation", he said.

Mr Thomas Iliasha Naan, a former Constituency Chairman of the NPP, accused Lawyer Mahama of causing disunity in the Party and among the three ethnic groups in the district.

He alleged that lawyer Mahama in connivance of some regional executives of the NPP in Tamale manoeuvred to come out with a new album of the names, pictures and signature of constitution executives of the NPP outside the old executives, thereby forming two factions within the party.

'We the old executives want to know from the Regional and National Executives whether we are sacked or not and if yes, I will take away my people", he said.

Madam Talata Sayers, a leading member of the Party, said the new executives were worrying the DCE as she was not able to stay and work, noting: "many at times members of the new executives openly insulted the DCE but for us women in the district, we like her.'

She said the DCE had helped mobilised women in the district to form groups and also solicited credit support for them to expand their businesses.

She appealed to the National Executives of the NPP to come down to Bunkpurugu to unite the two factions to work together for the development of the Party and the district.