Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister has indicated that the Ghana Beyond Aid policy of the Ghana government is not an indication that the government does not need any support from development partners and the international community.
He said it was to show that the government was committed to developing the country with its internal resources but still needs external support to complement the government initiative.
The Regional Minister said this when the United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Ghana, H E Harriet Thompson called on him to begin her official tour of the region.
Dr. Salih explained that the Upper West Region was one of the deprived regions in the country and needed the urgent support of the UK government in many areas including security.
The Regional Minister explained that due to the proximity of the Upper West to neighboring countries that had security infractions such as Burkina Faso and Mali, there was a security threat to the region and the country at large that needed attention.
He said the government was establishing three military bases in some three districts in the region as part of measures to beef up security in the region and appealed for support from the UK government to help establish military bases at the border districts in the region.
The regional minister also observed that agriculture, health, and education are other areas that the country that needs the support of the UK government.
The British High Commissioner to Ghana, H. E. Harriet Thompson was in the region as part of his regional tour to familiarize herself with the 16 regions of the country.
For her part, the British high commissioner indicated that it was her desire to visit all the 16 regions of the country to ascertain the peculiar challenges pertaining to the regions rather than being an armed chair high commissioner.
“As the UK High Commissioner to Ghana, it is really important to understand the whole of the country and not just to sit in Accra and think that that means knowing Ghana. It is really important for me to understand how we can use the relationship between the UK and Ghana to work together for mutual benefit.
“He said the UK government was working with the government of Ghana in the areas of education, health in the region some of which she intend to visit”, she indicated.
The British High Commissioner also called on the Overlord of the Wala Traditional Council, Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, as part of her visit to the region.
Naa Pelpuo took the opportunity to invite the High Commissioner to the 2022 Dumba festival celebration slated for October 7 to 13.
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