Former Western Regional Minister in the Kufuor administration, Joseph Evans Aidoo is backing calls for another region to be carved out of the Western Region.
This, he noted is the only way to ensure equitable development in the middle and northern parts of the region.
This comes on the back of a proposal given by a pressure group in the Sefwi area, the Sefwiman Development Association who are of the view that the despite being endowed with rich resources, the area is underdeveloped because of its distance away from Sekondi Takoradi.
Mr. Aidoo stated that the northern and middle belt of the region is seriously deprived in terms of infrastructure and social amenities.
According to him, the three Amenfi Districts, Amenfi East, Amenfi West and Amenfi Central, together with Awowin Suaman districts be added to the Sefwi area to constitute a new region with the capital being Sefwi Wiawso.
“The bifurcation is long overdue. As it stands now it [Western Region] is the only region of difficult in terms of movement and management. It will make the sub national governance easier and brings about equity in the distribution of the national cake. It’s only in this region too that it takes 8 to 9 hours to travel from one part to the capital Sekondi,” Mr. Aidoo explained.
He mentioned that his checks have revealed a “growing disaffection and discontent among the people in the region which is borne out of the fact that a huge chunk of the nation’s resources is mined from the region but it is yet to properly develop.”
Mr. Aidoo recalled that during his tenure in office as the Western Regional Minister, he consulted many bigwigs in government and in the region to deliberate on a possible split and continues to work towards it.
He mentioned the likes of Papa Owusu Ankoma, Sekondi MP who is in league of the call.
“We are still in talks with some members of our party [New Patriotic Party] to see to it that there are two regions when we come back to power” Mr. Aidoo hinted.
By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana