Yunush Dunbe, the president of Sissala Development Network (SiDNet), has expressed regret over the depressing state of development in the north-eastern part of the Sissala area, which stretches from Hamile, Fialimua, Gbowllu, Tumu, Wallenbelle, and down to Funsi and Kundugu.
The approach to the development of the Sisaala area he said is holism. The four districts constitute a vast area that is largely neglected and marginalized in the political economy of Ghana.
Mr. Yunush says the second face of the EU development project in the region was lunched and questions why the Sissala communities where not included.
‘’So these are some of the issues that we are talking about, is it because we have more of like excluded ourselves in the politics of the region or is it just because there is a deliberate marginalization’’?
The president emphasized that the Sissala Development Network (SiDNet) is not championing a narrow parochial agenda, indicating that, the network exist to facilitate and advocate for developmental projects that will benefit everybody in the Sissala area.
Given the socio-economic conditions of the Sisaala area, Mr. Dunbe called on all development stakeholders to appreciate these realities.
An approach in which these districts unite in one programme of action is better placed to draw the attention of national, regional and international policy makers to the development gaps and challenges he said.
Based on the cherished overall goal of improving the socio-economic conditions of the people of the Sisaala area, the president of SiDNet mentioned that their development vision reflects the realities.
He stated that the Sissala area is an area with the poorest roads, poor conditions of the built- environment and low human capital development infrastructure, adding that the vision of the Sisaala development project is to achieve a united Sisaala people advocate for opportunities for individual and collective social and economic fulfilment.
The president of the Sissala Development Network (SiDNet) Yunush Dunbe made this know during the official launch of the network in Wa.
KNOW THE FOUR CORE OBJECTIVES OF SIDNET
Objective 1: to attract investment to the agricultural sector, on which the majority of our people rely their livelihoods, to increase yields.
Objective 2: to support small industry development including agro-processing for value addition.
Objective 3: to advocate for funding for social infrastructure development.
Objective 4: to advocate for support for physical infrastructure development
In the Upper West Region of Ghana, the Sissala area occupies about two – thirds of the land mass of the region. According to SiDNet the Sissalas are the majority population in four districts of the region. The districts includes; Sissala East, Sissala West, Lambussie, and Wa East.
From the 2010 population census, the total population for each district is as follows: Sissala East – 56,528, Sissala West – 48,573, Lambusie – 51, 654 and Wa East – 72,074.
