Tamale, Oct. 2, GNA - The President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Yagbonwura Doshie Bawa Abudu, has raised concerns about the deplorable roads in the region and called on government to take immediate action to build and maintain the roads.

He appealed to the government as a matter of priority to explore potential tourist sites to be developed and expanded to attract tourists to the region.

Yagbonwura Doshie Bawa Abudu said this in Tamale on Thursday during the first ordinary meeting of the house.

He commended the government for the bold steps it was taking to address the poverty situation in the three northern regions through the Youth in Agriculture programme and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).

The Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Steven Sumani Nayina, appealed to the House to resolve all outstanding disputes especially the Nanumba Traditional Area chieftaincy dispute. The area has been without a leader over the past seven years.

He also called on all stakeholders to make concerted efforts to curb the proliferation of small arms that had been a threat to the peace in the region. Mr. Nayina said the construction of Tamale/Salaga, Forfosu/Damango, Gambaga/Nalerigu roads would soon start and would also complete the eastern corridor roads before the first term of President John Atta Mills' administration. He said the government would soon make available 2,000 more tractors to farmers at subsidized prices as a means of boosting agriculture in the country.