Action-Aid Ghana, one of the successful Non Governmental Organizations which programmes have contributed to the socio-economic development of the people of northern Ghana has in Tamale launched activities marking its 20th Anniversary in the country.

Lined up activities marking the five months long celebration include fun games quiz and debate competitions, blood donation, seminars, exhibition, radio discussions and awards night among others. A keep fit exercise across the principal streets of Tamale which preceded the official launch involved members of staff of ActionAid Ghana, various keep fit clubs in the metropolis, members of civil society organizations, health personnel, the red crossy, bankers, the clergy, students and the general public.

Speaking at the official launch at the Tamale Jubilee park, Nasaamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern regional Minister commended Action-Aid Ghana for its tremendous contribution to Northern Ghana’s development. He noted that Action-Aid’s success story in the areas of poverty eradication, education, water delivery and women empowerment among other well tailored programmes could not be underestimated. Mr. Asabigi said government was committed to strengthening its rapport with Action-Aid Ghana and other development partners and therefore appealed to citizens of Northern Ghana to give peace a chance as a means of attracting more investors to the area. Speaking on the theme, “Action-Aid Ghana: 20 years of fighting poverty”, Mr. Saani Yakubu, northern regional programme Manager of Action-Aid Ghana observed that successive government programmes appeared to be favoring the rich in society and appealed to the current government to shift from that paradigm. According to him, the rich were getting richer to the disadvantage of the less privileged in society and hence underscored the need for development partners to focus more on changing the situation. Mr. Saani questioned the morale behind the establishment of six witch camps in the northern region and concluded that the existence of such structures was a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the inmates.

He also disclosed that his outfit since its establishment in the northern region constructed 46 schools and also facilitated the construction and rehabilitation of five dams to promote all-year round farming.

“We started in Ghana in 1990 following a 1989 feasibility study: that study indicated that the three northern regions of Ghana were more deprived than the rest of the country,” Mr. Saani unveiled. Action-Aid northern region development programmes over the years have improved the living conditions of the people of Chereponi, Yendi, Saboba, Tamale and the Nanumba districts.