News:
October 17, 2013
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu in the Northern Region, Mr Amadu Moses Yahaya, has presented generators and computers to some traditional and state institutions in his constituency.
The generators were presented to the Paramount Chief of Kumbungu, Naa Iddi, and seven divisional chiefs under him while the Kumbungu District Directorate of Health and the District Education Office received two computers each.
Speaking to newsmen after the brief presentation ceremony, the MP said the gesture was aimed at tackling the myriad of development challenges facing the constituency.
“I have been working in the development field in this constituency for over 30 years and if there is somebody who knows the development challenges of this constituency better, I should be the one. I will, therefore, use every resource at my disposal to ensure that this constituency sees an appreciable level of development, and this humble presentation forms the basis of what is to follow soon,” he stated.
Giving reasons for the choice to buy generators for the chiefs, Mr Yahaya said as traditional rulers, chiefs were expected to champion the development of their jurisdictions while ensuring maintenance of law, peace and order.
“And Kumbungu being a predominantly rural area where many people work on their farms during the day, the only time that development forums and cases are held in the palaces is the evening; and, without light, how will the chiefs and their elders be able to handle such matters in the dark?” he asked rhetorically.
“More so, I used to work in close collaboration with the chiefs and I know that most of them are making a lot of sacrifices and playing leadership roles for the development of their areas. And just as a nation, we are making a lot of sacrifices to ensure that our political leaders live in comfort so that they can plan and champion the development of this country, so is my determination to ensure that traditional rulers in my constituency have access to constant electricity so that they can monitor national issues on radio and television to help them in their development planning,” he added.
He mentioned the seven divisional chiefs who were to receive the generators as Gbulung, Zugu, Dalun, Voggu, Zangbalung, Tibung and Singa.
The MP said many of the offices in the district were facing logistical challenges, as they only came into existence following the creation of the district in 2012.
He said the District Health Directorate had only one computer, which got stolen, and officials from the office had to rely on friends and relatives to type and print official documents.
“As for the District Education Office, they have never had a computer at all and you can imagine how an office can run effectively in this era without computers,” he added.
Receiving the items for onward presentation to the beneficiaries, a Deputy Co-ordinating Director at the Kumbungu District Assembly, Mr Charles Akurugu, said it had always been the wish of the district assembly to resource all offices in the district but the inadequate revenue which the assembly had been generating accounted for their inability to do so.
He, therefore, thanked the MP for bringing some logistics to two of the most critical offices in the district.
The Deputy Education Director for Kumbungu District, Hajia Ramatu Mahama, described the resources given to her office as a big relief.
She said anytime they wanted to type or print anything, they had to go to the Kumbungu Senior High School to beg for their computers “and anytime those computers are engaged, we have to postpone whatever we had to do.”
Daily Graphic