Savannah Region: Five Municipal & District Chief Executives sworn into office

One Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and four District Executives (DCE’s) who have been confirmed by their various Assemblies have on 7th October, 2021 been sworn into office by the Magistrate of the Bole District Court, His Worship, Edward Essel at an event supervised by the Savannah Regional Minister Mr Saeed Jibril Muhazu.

The MCE and DCE’s sworn into office are Mr Musah Karim Kusubari (West Gonja Municipality); Mr Adam Eliasu (North Gonja District) and Mr Iddrisu Salia Kamara (Central Gonja District). The others are Madam Losina Barikisu Watara (Sawla-Tuna-Kalba) and Musah Mohammed Tindawu (North East Gonja District).

The Savannah Regional Minister, Mr Saeed Muazu Jibril in a speech during the swearing-in ceremony charged the sworn-in Municipal and District Chief Executives to make sure poverty which he believed is a major canker in all Municipalities and Districts in the Savannah Region is tackled.

He said the poverty level in the Savannah Region is the major reason the new region is not developing.

The Minister again asked them to consider tackling Education, Sanitation and health as the major problems which will in the end change the region.

Mr Saeed Jibril Muhazu also urged them to collaborate with their respective Coordinating Directors to ensure the efficient running of their offices.

He advised them not to turn their back on those who helped them to their present positions saying they would need them when they lose their positions since their positions will change immediately.

He again expressed his sadness over the inability to have the President’s nominees for the East Gonja Municipality and Bole District confirmed.

The newly sworn-in Municipal and District Chief Executives took an oath of office, oath of allegiance and oath of secrecy conducted by the Registrar of the Bole District Magistrate Court, His Worship, Edward Essel.

The DCE for North Gonja, Mr Adam Eliasu who spoke on behalf of his colleagues assured the minister of their readiness to work in accomplishing the vision of the President of transforming the lives of the people.

The Member of Council of State representing the Savannah Region, Kpongriwura Alhaji Zakaria advocated for the focus of the Municipal and District Chief Executives to be on the development of their respective areas to move the region forward, adding that the two assemblies upset in the swearing-in will soon join them as the problems in those areas will soon be addressed.

The Savannah Regional Chairman, of the NPP Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana aka Professor Kalamonia emphasised the need for employment creation in the region for the youth as the unemployment rate is very alarming resulting in the underdevelopment of the Savannah Region.

He disclosed that the youth of the Central Gonja district had earlier threatened to demonstrate immediately the DCE was sworn in.

He stated that the youth action was a result of the management of the toll offices in the region which the Buipe toll office is still under the care of people who are not from the Savannah Region with that of the Sawla district still under someone from the upper west region whilst that of Buipe is under the management of someone from the Northern region.

He therefore with the permission of the Savannah Regional minister in the presence of the youth advocated for an immediate meeting with the Ministry of Roads and Highways management to address the issue.

The Savannah region with two Municipal and five District Assemblies had to confirm 5 out of the seven because of issues that had to do with the cancellation of voting processes to confirm the President’s nominee in the East Gonja Municipality and the failure of the President’s nominee for the Bole district to secure the two-thirds majority of the total votes cast.