𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡, 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗔𝗧 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗥𝗖𝗖 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗦 𝗞𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗨 𝗗𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦

He made the call at the First Expanded Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Meeting for 2026, held on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the Residency Round Pavilion in Tamale, where government officials, traditional leaders, development partners and heads of institutions gathered to review progress, deliberate on key development issues and chart a common path towards sustainable regional development.

The meeting brought together the Paramount Chief of the Zangbalung Traditional Area, Naa Dr. Jacob Mahama (Zangbalung Lana), Bakpab Naa Adam Naatogmah, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), Presiding Members, the Acting Chief Director, Mr. Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors, Heads of Departments and Agencies, representatives of development partners, officials of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, members of the media and other distinguished guests.

Delivering the welcome remarks, Acting Chief Director, Mr. Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, described the RCC as the highest coordinating and oversight body in the region, stressing that the successful implementation of government programmes depends on strong institutional collaboration, accountable leadership and collective commitment to good governance.

He urged technocrats to provide sound technical guidance to support political leadership, reminded public servants that their loyalty is to the Government of the day irrespective of political affiliations, and encouraged MMDCEs to work closely with their Coordinating Directors and other technocrats to achieve meaningful development.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Ali Adolf John apologised for the postponement of the meeting due to an official assignment outside the country and thanked participants for their patience, understanding and continued support towards the development agenda of the Northern Region.

He described the Expanded RCC Meeting as an important platform for consultation, coordination and collective decision-making, providing stakeholders the opportunity to assess progress, identify development challenges and develop practical solutions to improve governance and service delivery.

The Regional Minister observed that despite progress made, the Northern Region continues to face infrastructure deficits, youth unemployment, erratic rainfall affecting agricultural production, and peace and security challenges, but noted that these also present opportunities for innovation, stronger partnerships and renewed commitment to development.

“We have a common enemy in underdevelopment, and together we must confront it by creating opportunities that will enable our people to thrive,” he emphasised.

Hon. Ali Adolf John reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of President John Dramani Mahama to improving resource allocation to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies through increased District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocations, while urging Assemblies to strengthen Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to complement central government support.

He further underscored the importance of transparency, accountability and active citizen participation in the management of public resources, stressing that prudent financial management is essential to achieving sustainable development.

The Minister reminded MMDCEs to provide inclusive leadership by working closely with Presiding Members, Coordinating Directors and communities to ensure that development interventions genuinely reflect the needs and aspirations of the people.

He explained that the meeting was deliberately structured to allow MMDAs and key institutions to present updates on government programmes and sectoral interventions, noting that he was eager to listen to reports from stakeholders to better appreciate progress, challenges and opportunities across the region.

Hon. Ali Adolf John commended Heads of Departments and Agencies for their professionalism and dedication in implementing government policies under the Resetting Agenda, urging them to maintain the highest standards of accountability, efficiency and public service.

He also expressed profound appreciation to development partners for their continued financial, technical and institutional support, while acknowledging the invaluable role of traditional authorities in promoting peace, resolving conflicts and mobilising communities for development.

The Minister called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners, traditional leaders, political office holders and citizens to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development throughout the Northern Region.

The meeting also featured a series of presentations by key institutions on major government interventions and critical development issues across the region.

The Department of Urban Roads presented updates on the implementation of the Government’s Big Push Infrastructure Projects, highlighting ongoing road works, project milestones, implementation challenges and planned interventions aimed at improving connectivity and supporting socio-economic growth.

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives also presented progress reports on the implementation of the Government’s 24-Hour Economy Model Market Initiative within their respective districts, outlining preparatory activities, implementation timelines and the expected economic benefits for local communities.

The Council further received a comprehensive security briefing from the Regional Security Coordinator, who updated members on the prevailing security situation and ongoing efforts by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to sustain peace and public safety across the region.

A representative of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) also briefed the Council on ongoing transformer replacement and electricity network upgrading projects aimed at improving the reliability and stability of power supply throughout the Northern Region.

Following the presentations, participants engaged in an interactive open forum where members sought clarifications, shared observations and made recommendations to improve project implementation and accelerate development across the region.

The discussions reflected the Council’s commitment to strengthening coordination, promoting accountability and ensuring the successful implementation of government programmes and infrastructure projects.

Both the Regional Minister and the Acting Regional Coordinating Director encouraged participants to embrace constructive dialogue, accommodate divergent views and work collectively to address the developmental challenges confronting the Northern Region.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment by the Regional Coordinating Council, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, development partners and sector agencies to strengthen collaboration in advancing the Government’s Resetting Agenda and delivering sustainable, inclusive and people-centred development across the Northern Region.