Upper West Regional Minister meets with Development Partners

Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has eulogized development partners in the region for their immense contribution to the development of the region over the years.

He said their existence and operation in the region over the years had helped improve the livelihoods of the region in several areas including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) the provision of Health and Educational facilities and logistics and the introduction of the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs).

Dr Salih gave the commendations in Wa during an engagement with the development partners to assess their activities in the region.

The forum was also to provide an opportunity for the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), the Municipal and District Assemblies and the development partners to strengthen their partnership for effective coordination of their activities to ensure equitable distribution of resources for accelerated development of the region.

Dr Salih, however, said there had been concerns of some Development Partners who capitalized on the poverty situation of the region to solicit funds in the name of the region but diverted such monies for their personal development to the neglect of the people they were meant for and urged them to desist from such acts.

Naa Dikomwine Damalae, the President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, observed that, despite the interventions of the DPs in the region towards improving the livelihoods of the people in the region, the region still lags behind on many national development indicators.

He stated that the lack of development in our region is partly due to cultural practices and taboos that impede progress.

Dr. George Dery, who spoke on behalf of the DPs, encouraged the NGOs and CSOs to identify the development priorities of the government and to fill in the gaps identified.