
If given the approval to lead the region, the Upper West Regional Minister-designate, Lawyer Charles Lwanga Puozuing, has outlined plans to create job opportunities for the youth through the implementation of the NDC’s 1 Million Youth in Coding Programme, National Apprenticeship Programme, and Farmer Service Centre programme.
Speaking to the media after his nomination by President John Dramani Mahama, Lawyer Lwanga Puozuing explained that “generally, our priority area is first to ensure that jobs are available. So, under the current manifesto, we know there are sectors that we could activate immediately.”
“One of which is to start recruiting those who do the coding system, we also ask the districts to start recruiting those who want to do the apprenticeship programme and then the farmer services centre which is into agriculture. So, I believe that if these three are activated while we wait for the setting up of the Women’s Bank, then we should be able to get a lot of youth into something to occupy themselves instead of idling,” he stated.
The Upper West Region is known for its poor road infrastructure. Lawyer Lwanga Puozuing stated that although the central government is responsible for developing major road networks, he will advocate for improvements to ensure the region has better road connections.
“Major roads are held or dealt with at the central government. So, my duty will be to lobby and ensure that the major roads that we have within the region are part of the national road network and is done. As a regional minister, all you can do is to do lobbying for the region.”
The Minister-designate for the Upper West Region discussed plans to review the land tenure systems in the area to establish a clear and comprehensive procedure for land allocation. He emphasized the importance of integrating the traditional system of land ownership into the governance framework of the Lands Commission.
“What need to do is to have a look at our land systems whereby land owners seem to be poorer than they ought to be so that we would look at how we administer lands. For example, there are things that are supposed to be collected like ground rents and things, some are been collected, others are not being collected.
“There is indiscriminate dissipation of lands and sometimes because we don’t have the general maps and layout of the area, we turn to run into problems. I believe that what we need to do is to introduce our traditional system of land ownership into the governance of Lands Commission,” he noted.
Lawyer Charles Lwanga Puozuing emphasized that under his leadership, every municipality or district in the region will receive its fair share of development. He believes that this approach will foster trust and unity both in the region and within the NDC as a party.
“One of the things I intend to introduce will be to set aside a day in a week to meet people; unless it is official where you can walk in and have an appointment. For private things and party things, we will set up a day for that,” he added.
He also disclosed plans to have quarterly media engagements with the media in the region.
Lawyer Puozuing thanked President John Dramani Mahama for nominating him to lead the Upper West Region. He stated that he is committed to the development of the region.
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