During a durbar, the chiefs and populace of the Upper East Region reminded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of his pledge to build an airport in the area.
In the run-up to the 2016 elections, President Akufo-Addo visited the palace of the Sumbrungu chief and vowed sincerely that if elected, he would build an airport in the Upper East Region, according to the chiefs, Tindaamas, and people of the area.
The paramount chief of the Sekote traditional area, Naba Sigri Bewong, spoke on behalf of the people in the area and noted that the president had reaffirmed this commitment in the Bongo district when he turned sod to officially launch the One-Village-One-Dam initiative. “Having been elected as president and almost ending his second term, we would like to also make a passionate appeal to him to, as a matter of urgency, honour his promise by pooling resources to continue and complete this partly developed site into a functioning airport,”He said.Naba Bewong stated that in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the people of the Upper East area voluntarily gave the government access to 7051.44 acres, or 2,8853.72 hectares, of land in the Sumbrungu hamlet in order to establish an airport. This action was done in the spirit of development and patriotic nationalism.However, the chief claimed that because the region is the only one out of the original 10 to lack an operational airport and clear development plans, successive administrations have lacked the political and financial will to build the airport.
“This development is something the community finds very unfortunate given the level of destruction to economic trees and arable land that have taken place at the site, as well as the series of promises made by various governments to the good people of Sumbrungu in particular and the Upper East Region in general.”
People in the area stated that, given the finding of gold, oil, industrial clay, and other minerals in the area in commercial amounts, building an airport in the Upper East region is imperative to spur investment and advance national development.
Cultural acts and traditional dances were performed at the durbar, which was arranged at the airport’s proposed location, to express the region’s excitement for the completion of the project.Gabriel Agambila, the chairman of the Upper East Airport Development Committee, emphasized the difficulties that travelers have as a result of the absence of an airport in the area.
Gabriel Agambila, Chairman of the Upper East Airport Development Committee, emphasized the difficulties travelers have as a result of the absence of an airport in the area.
“Every time our people need to catch a flight, they have to embark on long and stressful road journeys to Tamale. This not only adds to the inconvenience but also places our citizens at risk of armed robbery attacks, particularly during late-night travel to catch early morning flights.”
The regional minister for the Upper East, Stephen Yakubu, praised the chiefs, Tindaamas, and people of the area for their coordinated efforts to push for the development of an airport there.
He claimed he is in contact with investors and the government to ensure that an airport is built in the area.
Thus, he tasked the 15 MPs in the area to support the locals in achieving their goal of building an airport.
