President John Dramani Mahama has been urged by Ya-Na Abukari II, the Overlord of Dagbon, to rename Tamale’s Yakubu Tali International Airport in honor of Mole-Dagbon founder Naa Gbewaa.
He drew attention to the fact that the previous administration renamed Tamale International Airport as Yakubu Tali International Airport without consulting traditional leaders or other pertinent parties.
The Dagbon overlord claimed that this led to tension and apparent discontent in the region.
Following discussions with the Regent of Nanung, Nyelinbulgu Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana, the Overlord of Mamprugu, Nayiri Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, and other traditional leaders, Ya-Na Abukari stated that they all agreed that the airport should be named in honor of Naa Gbewaa, the founder of the Mole-Dagbon ethnic group, as this would represent the people’s identity.
“We want the airport to be renamed Gbewaa International Airport and not Yakubu Tali after consulting with the Regent of Nanung, the Overlord of Mamprugu, and other stakeholders,” he said.
Renaming the institution after Naa Gbewaa will symbolize unity and maintain the people’s rich cultural history, the Ya-Na reaffirmed. “Naa Gbewaa is our identity.”
Many thanks, Tour
He made the request during President John Dramani Mahama’s “Thank You tour,” which included a courtesy call to the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi last Saturday.
The purpose of the journey is to express gratitude to the populace for the resounding support received in the general election of 2024.
He thanked the public and party supporters at Tamale Jubilee Park as part of the tour and reaffirmed his commitment to keeping his campaign pledges.
The airport project
The Yakubu Tali International Airport project was paused since phase two was finished a few years ago, and the Ya-Na Abukari requested the government to resume work on step three.
Reaction
In response to the Overlord’s request, President Mahama promised that the issue will be reviewed after consulting with the appropriate parties.
He requested that regional ministers and members of parliament present the issue to cabinet for consideration.
Context
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the renaming of Tamale International Airport in honor of the late Tolon Naa, Yakubu Tali, during his 2024 State of the Nation address in Parliament on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
In addition to being a founding member of the Northern People’s Party (NPP), the late Tolon Naa was a wise traditional leader, politician, and diplomat.
Because of his years of commitment for his people and the country, he said the late Tolon Naa earned the honor.
Ya-Na, numerous other traditional leaders, and some members of the public expressed disapproval of the proposed renaming after it was announced. They claimed that naming the airport after the late Tolon Naa was controversial and may cause unnecessary controversies in Dagbon.
He was born in 1916 in Tali, a Northern Region village close to Tolon, and passed away in 1986 at the age of 70.
Crisis of water
Additionally, before his term ends, President Mahama promised to address the ongoing water crises in Tamale, Yendi, and other Northern Region communities.
In order to improve the water supply for the locals, he described plans to build the Tamale and Yendi Water Projects, which would draw raw water for production from the White Volta and River Oti. In the meantime, he said, current water delivery systems would be restored.
“Yendi will have enough water to drink after my term is over. Because of its rapidly expanding population, Tamale also experiences ongoing water shortages, which President Mahama promised the populace must be addressed immediately.
Many inhabitants of Tamale, Yendi, and many other areas of the Northern Region have been forced to use untreated water for domestic purposes due to a persistent water shortage that has persisted for decades.
Ageing infrastructure and a population that is expanding faster than the system can handle have been blamed for the predicament.
The Tamale Water System was first established in 1972 and finally had a significant development in 2008.
In July 2020, then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for expansion work on the Tamale and Yendi water projects in order to address the crisis.
However, the $223.28 million Tamale water delivery infrastructure, which was financed by the London Branch of Deutsche Bank AG and UK Export Finance, was unable to deliver 29.7 million gallons of water per day.
Five years later, the Yendi Water Supply Project, which was funded by a $30 million credit from the India Exim Bank and aimed to generate 15,000 cubic meters of water per day to meet the region’s water needs, was likewise unable to get underway.
Issues with infrastructure
In addition to water supply, President Mahama recognized that the Eastern Corridor is still plagued by low-voltage electrical problems, especially in Yendi, Bimbila, and Gushegu. He also announced plans to build a new bulk supply point in order to stabilize the region’s power distribution.
In order to enhance mobility between the Northern and Greater Accra regions, he stated that the government would also finish the remaining portions of the Eastern Corridor Road, especially those between Nkwanta and Kpassa.
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