Dont snub Sissala Youth of Ministerial appointment’-Sissala Youth
The Sissala Youth Forum, the national youth Association of the Sissalas, have reminded President Mahama not to snub them in the formation of his ministerial team.
The President of Youth, Mumuni Sidiki, made the call when he addressed a Press conference at Tumu today in the Upper West region.
He stated “We, the youth of Sissala Land, are deeply disappointed and concerned about the lack of representation of our people in President John Dramani Mahama’s government”
He indicated that “Despite our trust in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) we call on the President to consider appointing competent Sissala individuals to ministerial positions, as our hopes are dwindling and urged the President not to snub the call”.
The Youth president noted the potential of the area enormous saying, ” As one of the three major ethnic groups in the Upper West Region, we are the number one producers of maize and contributing massively to the agricultural fortunes of this country, we are perplexed as to why our people have been overlooked in the appointment of ministers to help steer affairs of the state”.
Mr Sidiki stated that the Sissala people have a significant presence in five out of the eleven constituencies in the Upper West region.
“We urge President Mahama to take immediate action to address our concerns. We seek a meaningful representation of our people in government, not mere tokenism. The Sissala Youth have been patient with the government through this window of Ministerial appointments but our patience is wearing thin”.
The statement said, “We implore the President to work with its Major stakeholders in the land, i.e. the leadership of his party and the Chiefs and elders of the Sisaala fraternity to satisfy our demands so you don’t taint your legacy with us”.
In a nutshell, the demands include:
Meaningful representation by appointing a competent Sissala individuals to ministerial positions.
Secondly, the recognition of Sissala contributions: acknowledge the significant presence and contributions of the Sissala people in the Upper West Region. Lastly ensuring inclusive governance that reflects the diversity of the region, including the Sissala people.
Yesterday, the National Sissala Union President, Mr Aduna Mahamud Baka, petitioned the President when he appealed to the President to consider one of their sons in his government.
He stated, among others, “The Upper West Region has three major tribes, and two have been rewarded with ministerial appointment except the Sissala people”.
The dwindling fortunes of the NDC in the Sissala Land is because, apart from one senior member of the NDC, the party has failed to provide appointment opportunities to young brilliant and capable people into its government since the fourth republic. We think this is both unacceptable and very unfortunate because the Sissala people have delivered all their Parliamentary seats to the NDC in the last general elections, like any other tribe in this country and deserve recognition. How can our Members of Parliament continue to convince their people when we are marginalized in the sharing of the national cake?”, He questioned.
“We are further saddened by the fact that the president is our brother, and there is a saying that when your mother is in the kitchen in the funeral home, you never go hungry. How will the Chiefs and Sissala people feel when her sons and daughters, who are equally qualified and competent just like any other Ghanaian, are being neglected in his government? This is not a people that should be neglected”