The Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Mahama Abukari has called on government to establish a university campus in Yendi municipality in the Northern Region.
To facilitate the establishment of the campus, the Yaa-Naa has allotted 500 hectare parcel of land at the outskirts of Yendi for the university campus.
He stated that establishing a new university or satellite University for Development Studies (UDS) campus in the municipality would not only offer the youth of the area quality tertiary education but also help to reduce poverty and hunger in the region significantly.
Yaa-Naa Abukari made the appeal when the Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo paid a courtesy call on him at the Gbewaa Palace yesterday.
The Senior Minister is in the region to hold a public forum on the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda initiative.
Yaa-Naa Abukari emphasised that education was his topmost priority and called on the government to help achieve that vision.
He noted that many of the youth in the area particular Yendi, found it difficult to access tertiary education and establishing a campus there would help reduce the pressure on parents who were seeking admission for their wards in tertiary institutions.
Yaa-Naa Abukari added that quality tertiary education was the most appropriate tool to modern development and that every effort should be made to offer educational opportunities for the people of the area.
The Yaa-Naa pledged to assist in all the processes that would help lead to the establishment of university campus in Yendi.
“I’m prepared to assist in any process that would help bring university campus to my kingdom,” he promised.
He appealed to the Senior Minister to assist to fast track the process of providing potable drinking water in Yendi and surrounding communities.
Yaa-Naa Abukari said that while waiting for the start of the Yendi water expansion project, it would be most appropriate if the government put up boreholes to address the current water crisis.
Mr Osafo Maafo who expressed happiness at Yaa-Naa’s request promised to champion it.
“I’m very excited and glad that your majesty is talking about education and I promise to support it in that direction,” he assured.
The Seniors Minister maintained that the move by Yaa-Naa to create educational opportunities for the youth of the area was the best legacy hence must be supported to realized that dream.
He also promised to work assiduously to address the water problem and indicated that Yendi expansion project had received the blessing of cabinet.
Mr Osafo-Maafo further assured the Overlord of Dagbon that he would liaise with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to provide borehole to temporarily address the water problem of the area.
The Senior Minister called on Yaa-Naa to support the President’s Ghana Beyond Aid initiative.
He argued that the country cannot development with only aid and that there was urgent need to harness resources to make the initiative a success.
The Northern Regional Minister Mr. Salifu Saeed who accompanied the Senior Minister to Gbewaa Palace promised his commitment to support the establishment of a university campus in the municipality if approved.
The Senior Minister also paid similar courtesy call on the Mion-Lana, Abdulai Mahammudu, Yo-Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani and Tolon-Na Suleiman Abukari.
FROM YAKUBU ABDUL MAJEED, YENDI
