Akufo-Addo tasks Dev’t Authorities to Deal with dev’t Inequalities.

By Papisdaff Abdullah.

Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has challenged members of the Boards of the three newly created Development Authorities to do all within their power to deal with the inequalities and imbalances that have plagued the country’s developmental agenda.

Addressing members of all three Development Authorities and the Board of the Zongo Development fund, after administering the oath of office, and the oath of secrecy, Akufo-Addo said it is unfair that there has been so much disparity when it comes to development in Ghana.

The President therefore urged the new boards to introduce a new paradigm in how the country’s capital expenditure is used to ensure equitable and even distribution of resources for purposes of development across the length and breadth of the Republic.

In his address, President Nana Akufo Addo observed that the sad history and unfortunate outcome of the defunct Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) should be a constant reminder to all the three boards not to repeat the mistakes committed by the managers of SADA.

The  three  Development  Authorities ;Coastal,  Middle  Belt  and  Northern  Development  Authorities – are  tasked  with  the  implementation  of  the  Infrastructure for Poverty  Eradication  Programme  (IPEP).  The  Programme will also be responsible for ensuring  the  effective disbursement  of  the equivalent of  $1 million per constituency per year,  in fulfillment of  President  Akufo-Addo’s  2016 campaign pledge.

Earlier Appointments

President Akufo-Addo in April 2018, appointed the Chief  Executive Officers and Deputy Chief  Executive Officers  of  the  Coastal,  Middle  Belt  and  Northern  Development  Authorities. As a follow up, the President has sworn into office the substantive boards for the Authorities. The Authorities are thus ready to kick start their work.

Board Chairpersons/ CEOs of Development Authorities

The Boards of the three Development Authorities have Edmond Annan as the Board Chairman, of the Coastal Development Authority and Samuel Attah-Mensah, as its Chief Executive Officer. The Middle Belt Development Authority has Alex Kwaku Korankye as its Board Chairman and Joe Danquah as its Chief Executive. The Northern Development Authority has Hakeem Ahmed Wemah as its Board Chairman and Dr.  Abdul-Majeed Heroin as its Chief Executive. All the three boards have additional eleven members constituting the thirteen member board for each of the three Development Authorities.