DIVIDE CENTRAL GONJA DISTRICT AND MAKE KUSAWGU THE DISTRICT CAPITAL

DIVIDE CENTRAL GONJA DISTRICT AND MAKE KUSAWGU THE DISTRICT CAPITAL

By Sulemana Ishawu

INTRODUCTION

With reference to the govemment's proposal to create  new District Assemblies in all the regions in accordance with Section I of the Local Government Act 2016, Act 936, I call on the electoral commission to divide the  Central  Gonja  District  (CGD) which was carved  out  of the  West  Gonja  District and created  in  2004  under  LI  1750 into Buipe and Kusawgu districts with the new capital in Kusawgu.  This will aid the developmental pace of the area.
GEOPHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROPOSED KUSAWGU DISTRICT
The proposed Kusawgu district will lie  within  longitude  1˚5’and  2˚  58’  West  and  latitude  8˚32’and  10˚2’  North.. The  district will  share  boundaries  with  the  Buipe  District   to  the south,  the  North Gonja  District  to  the  west,  Tamale  Metropolis  to  the  north  and  the  East  Gonja  District  to  the  east.  The  district's creation will be strategical  because  it will link  the  Northern  Region to the Buipe district and   the rest of the  Southern part of Ghana..  The district stands the chance of developing faster considering its nearness  to  the  capital  of  the Northern  Region,  Tamale  which  is  endowed  with  rapid  developments  especially  in  the  service and hospitality  industries  in the  northern regions.The  proposed district has a  vast land, human  and  other  natural resources. The white Volta which stretches from North Gonja District to Yeji has  good  potential  for  small-scale  irrigation  schemes.

PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL
The  district  will have  its  administrative  capital  at  Kusawgu.  The  District  Assembly  will have its  total membership  of all the  elected  members,   government  appointees  (including  the DCE  and  the  MP).  Area  Council  centres  will be  at  Kusawgu,  Tuluwe,  Yapei,  Sankpala and  Chama. All  the  eleven  decentralised  departments  will be  present  but  minimally  functional  due  to challenges  of  inadequate  staffing,  logistics  and  office  space. There are currently an area council, post office, nonfunctional police station, community centre, market, health post, electricity, an ongoing tiling of the Kusawgu township roads and historical administrative buildings which could possibly be revamped for use. Kusawgu was the most administrative town aside Tamale in northern region around the 1980s. The development of the Tuluwe traditional area depends on Kusawgu's development. Its location makes it the most confluence town to all the hinterlands than any community in the proposed district.

CULTURAL AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
There  are  over 10  ethnic  groups  in  the  district.  The  major  groups  are;  Gonja,  Dagomba,  Mamprusi  and  Ewe.  Others  include ,  Akans,  Chekosi  and  Fulanis.  The presence  of  ethnic  hoterogeneity  will promote socio-cultural  organization  and  development. There  are  inter-tribal marriages and  peaceful co-existence  which enhances unity  in diversity. There  are  four  major  religious  groups  in  the  Proposed Kusawgu  District.  These  include  Islam, Christianity, Traditionalist  and others with  Islam dominating.

TRADITIONAL GOVERNANCE
The proposed  Kusawgu  District  forms  part  of  the  Gonja  Traditional  Council  with  its  King  (the Yagbonwura)  as  President,  and  the  headquarters  of  Council  at  Damongo  in  the  West  Gonja District.  There  are  five  paramountcies  in  Gonjaland  which  normally  ascend  to  the  position  of the  King  (Yagbonwura)  on  rotational  basis.  Two  of  such  paramountcies  are  located  in  the proposed Kusawgu  District  that  is,  the  Kusawguwura  and  Tuluwewura.  There  are  also  some Divisional  Chiefs  who  are  answerable  to  these Kings.  Among  them  are;  Yapeiwura, Chamawura, Junction/Fufulsowura, Sankpala wura, Jukuwura  and  many more. . Chieftaincy  is  an important  institution  in  the  proposed Kusawgu  District  which will help  champion  the  development  agenda of  the district if its created.

ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
The  main  economic  activity  of  the  people  is  agriculture  involving  crop  production,  livestock and  fish  farming.  The  land  is  extremely  fertile  for  agriculture  and  farming  is  normally intensive.  Some  of  the  crops  cultivated  are  maize,  sorghum,  millet,  groundnut,  cowpea,  soy beans,  yam,  rice,  as  well  as  cassava.  Fishing  and  livestock  are  considered  supplementary activities  to  crop  farming.  Large  scale  fishing  is could be carried  on  at  Yapei  and  Adape  on  the  White  Volta  lake.  The  major  animals  reared  including  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  fowls,  guinea fowls  etc.  and  birds  are  practically  reared  in  every  home,  but  large  scale  ranching  is can also be practised  in the  district considering the availability of vast land.  Economic  activities that could be  undertaken  in  the  district  are  large  and  small-  scale  agro-based  industries such  as  Shea  butter processing, rice  milling,  groundnut oil extraction and gari processing. There  are  only  a  few  potential  natural  resources  in  the proposed  district.  However,  some  of  these resources  are  yet  to  be  exploited.  The  known  resources  include     marble  stone, and  limestone.  Other  resources  include  arable  lands,  the  White  Volta  river,  and also available  are  large  deposits  of  sand  for  construction. The  district  abounds  in  many  tourism  attractions  though  these  are  largely  undeveloped.  The attractions  range  from  natural  features  such  as  the  White Volta  to  historical  such  as Regalia  at Nyanwuripe.  The  development  of  some  of  these  tourist sites  has  been  constrained  by  poor  road  infrastructure  and  inadequate  recreational  and accommodation facilities in the  district. So its creation will help tackle the social problems to develop these tourist site. The proposed district have six market centres which could boost the its economy if created.

CONCLUSION
The electoral commission should consider the division of the Central Gonja District with Kusawgu as the new District Capital to help speed up development in the area. The new district should cover all lands belonging to the Kusawgu and Tuluwe kingdoms to avoid future land litigation problems. The availability of historical administrative buildings as well current ones like an area council, nonfunctional police station, post office, health post, schools, market center, community center, electricity and the sit of the Kusawgu kingdom will enable Kusawgu to host the new district capital. The location of Kusawgu could have direct influence on all communities in the Kusawgu and Tuluwe kingdoms, hence the need to make it the district capital. Finally, the presence of market centers in Kusawgu, Tuluwe, Sankpala, Yapei, Chama and Jukuku will help develop the economy of the district. Kusawgu kingdom is endowed with Shea but trees which could attract investors to site processing factories in the new district.