Savannah Region : Bias Appointment In The NPP Regional Executives And Matters Arising – Harisu Abdulai

It would be recalled that the governing New Patriotic Party in the Savannah Region went to the polls to elect new executive to stir the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The Savannah Region is a cosmopolitan one with several ethnic groups, namely Gonjas, Dagati’s, Lobies, Hanga, Mmara, Safaliba, Akan, Hausa, Tampulima’s, Mo, Mpatara, Sisala, Fulani, Moshie, Vagla, Dagomba, Chorkorsies, Mamprusi just to mention but a few.

However considering the appointments that took place is very mind boggling and surprised to see people being appointed without looking into a huge ethnic consideration.

To begin with, the main election saw Ten positions been contested for and at the end of the contest Six Gonjas won with the remaining four going to four other grouping such as, Akan, Sisala, Hausa and Mo respectively. Out of these many groupings been mentioned, only four groups has representatives. Fast forward, everyone would have thought that, the remaining appointees would have been given to other groups to enhance a further collaboration but unfortunately that is not the case.

The Seven appointed position after the process has been made this way; four Gonjas, one Vagla, one Mo and Chorkorse. Everyone would wonder why such a weird decision. It is weird because why would a Region of over Ten groupings, Ten positions would be given to only one group?

Moreover, the other bizarre thing is that, Damango been the Regional capital has just one executive. One would have thought that at least two executives should have come from Damango, but funny enough this is not the case.
Besides, it is a Constituency we won and would be hoping to retain, why not adding an appointed position to Damango since the only executive position in Damango was not based on appointment but won through a keenly contested election.

I found these appointments as a shambolic one because no proper consideration was done, but rather this was done to satisfy cronies.

The other thing is that, in the Bole-Bamboi Constituency area we have a Gonja, Sisala and Mo in the setup so why then do you appoint another Mo when we have the Dagati’s, Lobies, Safaliba’s etc around? Like I said no proper and better consideration was done.

Moreso, why do we lump four executives in a Constituency like Bole-Bamboi which we will only take Allah’s intervention to win since JM is alive and still has interest in?

Whereas, a Constituency like Salaga North which we won and would still want to maintain with only one executive? This I say is funny. This Constituency in a row has not stepped up for the Regional Executive Elections since the region was created in 2019 but we won the 2020 election there, so why couldn’t we have added an extra executive to them. Aside their Mp and DCE they don’t have anyone in any top position and instead of us attaching premium to that place but because of our selfish interest we have decided to send appointments to places that will not add to us. The Constituency is less deprived which could be a major factor that we might have people contesting from there.

Let me say that, I contested a position with someone from the same Constituency and so the position was naturally meant for Bole-Bamboi since both of us were from there and were the only people in the race.

As a party less put much premium to places that we have absolute cost advantage than where we have none.

The bottom line is that, the personal interest is what will let us lose Savannah and nothing else.

I could go on and on but I will pause here.

Harisu Abdulai
Former Youth Organizer Aspirant

Source: Malik Gazari