Issa Traditional Council Opposes Relocation of GES Office Project to Daffiama

The Issa Traditional Council has opposed the relocation of a planned Ghana Education Service (GES) district office complex and bungalow from Issa to Daffiama, describing the decision as unlawful and a threat to peace and development in the district.

At a press conference held on Wednesday, 11 March, 2026 in Issa, Naa Yelekuang Bawele II, Paramount Chief of the Issa Traditional Council, said they were “deeply alarmed, outraged and unequivocally opposed” to the decision by the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council to divert the project from its originally designated location in Issa.

According to the council, the construction of the educational office complex and bungalow had been publicly tendered with Issa specified as the location. Issa has served as the district capital since 2012 and has been the administrative centre since 1983.

The council alleged that the decision may have been influenced by the Member of Parliament for the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa constituency and called for immediate clarification and accountability.

Citing the Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936), the council argued that key administrative offices required for decentralisation must be located at the district capital to ensure effective supervision, management and service delivery. The chiefs said redirecting the project to Daffiama contradicts the provisions of the law and undermines equitable development within the district.

“This abrupt and unjustified redirection of resources is not only illegal but also appears to be a deliberate attempt to incite conflict between Issa and Daffiama,” the statement said, adding that both communities have co-existed peacefully for decades.

The traditional council appealed to the President, the Upper West Regional Minister, the administrator of the GETFund and the Member of Parliament for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa to reverse the decision and restore the project to Issa in line with the original tender documents.

They also warned that relocating the office would create operational challenges for the district education administration. The council noted that the district GES office and the District Chief Executive, who chairs the district education oversight committee, would incur additional costs and travel time attending meetings if the office were situated in Daffiama.

“This inefficiency hampers district development and could have been avoided if the office remained in Issa,” the statement said. The Issa Traditional Council urged the contractor not to report to any construction site until the matter is resolved and proper procedures are followed.

The council warned that failure to heed this call could lead to protests, though it stressed that any action would be pursued through legal means.

The chiefs said that communities, including Jolonyiri, Jempensi, Kenkelen, Chala, Banongyiri, Duong, Kojokperi, Boopulung, and Sazie, would continue to suffer unnecessary costs and delays in accessing government services if the project were moved from Issa.

The council maintained that restoring the project to the district capital is essential to protect the law, ensure equitable development and preserve peace within the district.