... and Advises the Residents to Be Vigilant to Terrotrist Attacks

By Lydia Darlington Fordjour

Issah — President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged residents of the Upper West Region to be on the lookout and report suspicious characters to the security agencies to avert any terrorists attack.

The President said although the security agencies had been equipped to discharge their duties of ensuring peace as well as maintaining law and order, they would not be able to act swiftly if the citizens did not volunteer information to aid their operation.

He said the security agencies would also need the collaboration of the people to prevent unscrupulous people from smuggling fertiliser to neighbouring Burkina Faso.

The two requests were the key focus of the President's message as he toured Issah in the Daffiama/Bussie/Issah (DBI), Wechiau in the Wa West and Funsi in the Wa East Districts to interact with chiefs and people of those areas and also inspect ongoing projects.

"Recently we were given news of terrorists who attempted to cause mayhem at a church in this region and by the help of two vigilant church members, they were able to detect the people who wanted to foment trouble and reported them to the appropriate quarters for action," the President stated.

He indicated that the nation needed such level of intelligence from the people in order to be able to check possible surprise attacks as had been reported in neighbouring countries.

President Akufo-Addo explained that "the 50 per cent fertiliser subsidy that is given to support the planting for food and jobs programme is not government's money, government does not have money anywhere for that intervention, it is your money and our money, the taxes we pay so we need to collaborate with the police and other state security agencies to check the menace."

The President reiterated that if the fertiliser was used for its intended purpose, it would go a long to ensure high food production as the farmers who were the end users would get their due share of the farm input.

Addressing an earlier request made by the President of the Bulenga Traditional Area, Naa Seidu Nawologime IV for the carving of a new district out of Wa East, the President stated that the Executive was only mandated to create new districts if the electoral commission had created constituencies within the district.

"We can have two constituencies within one district, but it is not constitutional to have two districts in one constituency so for the issue of creating a Bulenga District out of Wa East, the Presidency can only act after the electoral commission had created a new constituency," he elaborated.

President Akufo-Addo however welcomed the idea and said it would be considered for further action.

The President of the Bulenga Traditional council, Naa Nawologime IV in an earlier speech appealed for the construction and upgrading of some roads in the districts to make them motorable during the rainy season.

"When it rains the district is cut off from some parts like Kundungu and Funsi among others and it makes administration very difficult especially with the issues of health," the Chief stated.

He indicated that during such seasons also, residents at Bulenga would have to pass through four municipal and district assemblies before getting to Funsi, the District capital, saying that "if you want to access Funsi from Bulenga, one will have to travel through Wa Municipal then through Nadowli/Kaleo, DBI and Sissala East Districts before getting to Funsi."

"This we think is too much work and will be very grateful if a new district could be created for the Bulenga area," Naa Nawologime stated.

The President and his entourage, which included Ministers of state, party faithful and party executives inspected the construction of a new district court at Wechiau, the District hospitals at Issah and Funsi which were at various stages of construction.

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