Buem Coalition supports creation of region, but

...against Hohoe becoming capital

The Coalition For Peace and Development in Buem, (COPADIB), a pressure group, has reiterated its support for any intention of the Government to create a new region for the northern part of the Volta Region, to enhance the development of the area, but said it would kick against Hohoe becoming the capital.

The Group expressed dissatisfaction that instead of generating a debate based on administrative, geographical and socio-economic factors, some opinion leaders from the region, including those outside the northern part of the region, were twisting the discussion to a political dimension and focusing mainly on where the capital should be located.

Mr. Isaka Buraima, President of the COPADIB, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the weekend in Accra, was reacting to a creation of a second region out of the Volta Region. He said " The COPADIB does not and would never support the advocacy of Togbega Gabusu VII, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area and the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs that Hohoe should become the capital of a new region for the Northern part of the Volta Region as contained in the GNA report."

Mr. Buraima expressed surprise that instead of considering the plight and socio-economic conditions of the people in the northern part of the Volta, Togbega Gabusu said the capital town should be located at Hohoe to atone for its denial, when the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah made Ho the Volta regional capital as a punishment for the people of Hohoe for supporting the United Party tradition, which gave birth to the New patriotic Party (NPP).

He said " I believe that any intention of the Government to create a region for the northern part of the Volta Region would be to address the lack of development issue and to tackle the socio-economic problems holding the people back but not to satisfy the political ambitions of any individuals or group of persons."

Mr. Buraima said if the Volta Region were divided into two equal parts, Hohoe would belong to the southern part, making it remote to most parts of northern Volta.

He explained that people of the north are most likely to continue complaining to government about socio-economic and administrative problems if Hohoe becomes the capital of a new region for the northern Volta.

Mr. Buraima also said any attempt to make Hohoe the capital town of a new region for the northern Volta because of its relatively good infrastructure, would be an oversimplification of the issue. He consequently, urged the government to rather invest both human and material resources in the development of any town that has basic infrastructure but would be accessible to the people, as a new capital for a new region for northern Volta.

Mr. Buraima reminded the Government that the request for the creation of a region for the northern part of the Volta Region to be known as Oti Region, started in the 1970's and since then there had been a number of petitions.

He said petitioners including the chiefs and people of the area proposed that the new region should cover the entire area formerly known as the Buem-Krachi District, under the colonial rule, with Jasikan as the capital.

Mr. Buraima also recalled that petitioners for the new region also came from Lolobi, Likpe and Akpafu, which were part of the defunct Jasikan Local Council but later became part of the Hohoe District. He said the lobbyists complained among other things that many development projects in the Volta Region started from the south and ended at Hohoe, while road networks in the northern part of area were deplorable.

Mr. Buraima expressed disappointment that some opinion leaders whose people do not have serious administrative, geographical and development problems relative to the people in the northern part of the Volta Region are agitating to join the area and even wanting to champion the campaign.

The idea of the creation of a new region to cover the northern part of the Volta Region resurfaced in 2002, during the first term of office of the NPP with the latest petition in 2006.

The campaigners included eminent chiefs and citizens and some presiding and assembly members of the Jasikan, Kadjebi, Nkwanta and Krachi district assemblies.

They appealed to the Government to create a new region in the Volta Region to be known as the Oti Region and proposed Jasikan, the capital town of Jasikan district as the regional capital at that time. 27 May 07