Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Area, is predicting massive endorsement for the proposed North western Region in the upcoming referendum.
Katakyie Kwasi Bumangama the second cites the distance between the present Western Regional capital and the proposed region as one of the reasons to justify the creation.
” The reason why we are agitating for this new region is that, we have been denied long, long time ago. It takes us five working days to transact business in Sekondi. Moreover, if a student comes out from school and he needs his posting, it takes him or her 5 days to complete this posting process,” he said.
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Nine municipalities and district will take part in the 27th December vote to endorse or reject the proposal.
Aowin, Sefwi-Wiawso and Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipalities as well as Bia East and West, Bodi , Sefwi Akotombra and Suaman Districts constitutes the area earmarked for the new region to be carved out of the Western Region.
Katakyie Bumangama says though the area produces over 60 per cent of Ghana’s cocoa, timber and minerals, bad roads and lack of development remain the lot of the people.
“Sefwi or Western North is the basket of Ghana. When it comes to the matter of cocoa, we produce 60% of the cocoa in Ghana.
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We produce cocoa, we have gold; we have timber-we have everything here. Compare us to the South. It’s just of late that they got their oil. Apart from the oil, what again,” he quizzed.
He tells Joynews even the departed and unborn generation will vote massively to endorse the new region to speed up development.
“When the region comes, we are going to have our development and the day-to-day administration of the government will get to the door steps of the people. I don’t want to discuss whether we deserve it or not. Sefwi or the Western North has been denied long, long time ago”.
Nananom , Members of Parliament and other opinion leaders have all joined the campaign to encourage residents to up and vote.
Katakyie Bumangama also has ideas about the siting of the capital of the proposed new region, if it finally created.
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“We have factors for consider in choosing regional capitals. In my traditional area, I got six constituencies, I got six MPs (Members of Parliament) as compare to other areas which has 1,2,3. During Rawlings’ time, Bibiani, Bekwai, Chirano the DS[District Secretary] who has his office in Wiawso controls the whole area. It is of-late that we’ve got MCEs in Bibiani etc.
During Akyeampong’s time, the Cocoa Marketing Board, the regional office was moved from Sekondi to Sefwi-Wiawso. Cocoa Services Division, their regional office moved to Sefwi-Wiawso and now even all the churches, they have created their region; GRA [Ghana Revenue Authority], they’ve created their own region. So it is not for me to tell you the capital is coming here. Sooner or later, the Forestry Commission will have their region office here”.