The vice president of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has opened the maiden Northern Ghana Development Conference in the Northern Regional Capital, Tamale.
Speaking at the event held at the Tamale City campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), the Vice President commended the Regional Ministers of the five regions in northern Ghana (Savanna, Upper East, Upper West, North-East and Northern) and the respective Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC) for hosting the event. Dr Bawumia also extended the government of Ghana’s appreciation to the development partners who supported the event and expressed his optimism of the benefits of the conference.
“As a government, we are particularly grateful to you our development partners for your continuing interest in the development of the north. Of course, I should also mention STAR Ghana and USAiD for collaborating with the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) to organise this event…. This summit in my opinion marks another important milestone in the historic journey of northern Ghana. The achievements of the objectives of the summit will significantly contribute to the acceleration of the social and economic development of northern Ghana”
Dr. Bawumia urged participants at the event to come out with permanent solutions to the several development challenges stagnating northern Ghana's socioeconomic growth. "The deliberations should come out with comprehensive ideas, plans and programmes to drive national development." He said.
Speaking on behalf of Development Partners (DPs) in Ghana, Philip Smith, Chair of Heads of Cooperation Group and DFID Country Director, indicated that: “the timing of the summit comes at a critical moment for Ghana - hot on the heels of the publication of the Ghana Beyond Aid Charter and Strategic Document.” He applauded the President of Ghana’s vision for a self-reliant Ghana Beyond Aid and welcomed the government of Ghana’s focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
He shared DPs’ appreciation of Ghana beyond aid and their preparedness to adopt new partnership with Ghana:
“Ghana beyond aid may be a mindset change for Ghanaians, but it also demands an attitude adjustment from western countries. It requires from us a different kind of approach, recognising that Ghana Beyond Aid changes the motor of our relationship from one based on aid to one based on enterprise, mutual economic benefit and strategic political cooperation. As your international partners, we are keen to adopt a new partnership with Ghana to jointly tackle the big global challenges of our time: ensuring opportunity for all, tackling poverty and inequality, maintaining security, stability and peace, combating climate change and promoting inclusive growth.”
Northern Ghana Development Conference
In September 2018, a conference convened by STAR Ghana Foundation in partnership with the NDA, NDF, ISODEC and TAMA Foundation at Bolgatanga to discuss the implications of the Government’s vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid for northern Ghana’s development. This event ended with a unanimous call for the defunct `Mole Series` platform to be reconvened to build upon some of its recommendations. Giving birth to the maiden edition of the Northern Ghana Development Conference.
The Mole Series then
Mole was initiated eighteen years ago by Regional Economic Planning Officers (REPOs) of the three Regions of Northern Ghana. The founding meeting which took place at the Mole Game Reserve gave the unique gathering its name, the “Mole Series”. The REPOs felt the need for a coordinated approach to regional economic planning – to adopt a Northern Ghana-wide lens – rather than their separate regions - to promoting development in northern Ghana.
Group photo of participants at the event
