…..As Dignitaries,Crowds, Storm Yendi for Convention/ Grand Durbar of Chiefs
Report: Mohammed A. Abu
A convention and grand durbar of chiefs in Yendi,the seat of Kingship of Dagbon Kingdom in Ghana’s Northern Region, brings to a close today, the weeklong Convention and Maiden Home Coming event of sons and daughters resident home, across the country and beyond.
The Chairman for the Occasion, is Professor Amin Alhassan, Director General, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Special Guest of Honour, Hon Haruna Iddrisu (MP), Minister of Education, Guest Speaker, His Royal Highness, Naa bapira Pishigu Lana, Alhassan Andani, Guest of Honour, Naa Bakpem Kari Naa, Natogma Abdulai.
As of yesterday, Friday, a total of nineteen (19) dignitaries including the Northern Regional Minister, Mr.Ali Adolf had since confirmed their participation in today’s event.
Aims & Objectives
1.To promote peaceful coexistence both within Dagbamba and between their neighbours.
2.To institute yearly convergence of Dagbamba to among other things discuss the development agenda of Dagbon.
3.To rebrand and market the rich culture of Dagbon.
4.To build and strengthen a bond among Dagbamba in and outside Dagbon
5.Advocate for the interest of Dagbon through effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
As an open event, it welcomes not only sons and daughters of Dagbon but all others who have interest of the kingdom best at heart and may wish to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with the kingdom.
Granted that, Dagbon,Northern sector’s very rich and woefully underexplored cultural tourism and investment opportunities in various industry areas,institutionalising the event as an annual one could stimulate both Foreign Direct(FDI) and Domestic Investment.
The former Africa Development Bank(AfDB)’s President Akiwume ,during his visit to Ghana as then AfDB President in 2017 had cause to remark that, with the Northern sector’s 9 million hectares total arable land endowment suitable for rice cultivation, Ghana had no business importing rice.
His comments came against the background of Ghana having to spend approximately $1.1 billion on rice importation in 2017, a figure revealed by the Deputy Trade Minister at the time, with a broader context showing significant spending on food imports ($1bn+) in the 2017-2020 period to meet demand. While some reports aggregate spending across several years (like $1bn from 2017-2020), the specific 2017 figure stands out as substantial.
Fast forward, Ghana still spends significantly on rice imports, with estimates suggesting annual spending ranging from hundreds of millions to potentially billions of Cedis/Dollars, as the country relies heavily on imports due to rising demand and local production shortfalls, with figures pointing to over GH₵2 billion in 2023 and projections of around 1 million metric tons for 2025/26.
The relevance and importance of Dagbon’s affirmative action approach in the Northern sector or Ghana’s upcountry can therefore be best appreciated against this background.
The need to attract both Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) and Domestic investments in areas such as primary commercial rain-fed agriculture,agro-processing and agribusiness, among others, has become more relevant than ever before granted Dagbon,Northern sector’s abundant rice production resources.
Affirmative actions by the people of the five Northern regions in support of central governments interventions in addressing the unacceptable colonial legacy of the South-North povery,education,development and whatever else, gaps, should be non-negotiable.