The former Dean of Assembly Members and former Presiding Member of the Bawku Municipal Assembly, David Adoliba, has criticised what he describes as the sectoral approach adopted by Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Upper East Region in pursuing development, arguing that the absence of a coordinated regional agenda continues to undermine transformative projects.
Speaking on A1 Radio on the need for an inclusive development agenda for the Upper East Region, Mr. Adoliba said the region’s MPs have largely focused on constituency-specific interests at the expense of broader regional priorities, a situation he believes has weakened the Upper East’s collective bargaining power.
To buttress his argument, he questioned the level of advocacy by the region’s MPs over the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, asking whether they had done enough to keep the project high on the national agenda after government commitments were made.
“Money was committed to the project, yet little has happened. Where were our parliamentarians? Did they follow up? Did they ask why the project had stalled?” he asked.
According to Mr. Adoliba, the Upper East Parliamentary Caucus was established to champion issues of regional importance before members pursue constituency-specific concerns.
However, he believes the caucus has not fully lived up to that responsibility.
While acknowledging that MPs have a duty to advocate for their respective constituencies, he insisted they must also rise above partisan and constituency interests to pursue projects capable of transforming the region as a whole.
“When our MPs speak with one voice, regardless of political affiliation, governments will find it difficult to ignore the priorities of the Upper East,” he stated.
Mr. Adoliba argued that the region’s fragmented advocacy has contributed to delays in strategic development initiatives and urged citizens to hold their representatives accountable for both securing projects and ensuring their implementation.
“The development of the Upper East cannot be driven by isolated constituency interests. It requires a united regional agenda backed by persistent advocacy,” he stressed.
His remarks add to the ongoing debate about how the Upper East Region can strengthen its collective voice to accelerate the delivery of major development projects, including the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com |102.7 MHz | Bolgatanga
