There is the need to change the cultural perspective of our society regarding women and children and step up the education of the girl child.
An educated girl-child becomes an educated women and an educated woman is an asset to society by all standards.
Though there is the need for the boy child education, the girl child must go up to the tertiary level.
This will help prevent teenage pregnancies and also enable girls to determine which type of cultural practices they should accept or discard.
This was disclosed by the Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Paulina Patience Abayage, when a 5 member team of GBC Ura Radio staff paid a courtesy call on her at her office, at the Regional Coordinating Council RCC.
The team was led by the Acting Regional Director of Ura Radio, David Naab. The visit was to officially welcome her and to congratulate her for her appointment to the high office as a regional Minister.
Ms. Abayage was once working as a part time staff with Ura Radio for quite some years before leaving for full time politics.
Her elevation comes as an honor to the station and the Upper East Region as a whole. On her part, the Regional Minister expressed appreciation for the visit saying she had all her media skills from Ura Radio.
She indicated that, as a media practitioner herself, she knows the role the media can play in her quest to develop the region, adding that, since Ura Radio broadcast in 5 local dialects and English and goes far, it will remain the official mouth piece of the region in addition to the other radio stations.
Ms. Abayage stated that, she is operating an open door policy and therefore welcomes ideas from all and sundry with constructive criticism.
The staff of Ura Radio assured the Minister their readiness to support her in the development of the Upper East Region.
She indicated that the region has numerous potentials that can be explore such as rearing of guinea fowls, small and large ruminants, irrigation and Planting for Food and Jobs, for smallholder women farmers which are in line with the President’s vision for the country.
In reference to the budget, she indicated that the region can tap into the budget for its share especially in the area of Agriculture, education and roads.
On roads she said work is currently ongoing on the Bongo, and the Balungu Bridge. The Bolga –Bawku road Sandema and Chuchuliga roads will also be worked on.
Other areas she noted, that need urgent attention are revenue generation, the horrible nature of sanitation and street lights at least in the Municipal and the District capitals to help minimize criminal activities at nights.
She said the best would been to change the entire lighting infrastructure of about 40 kilometers which cost about 40 million Ghana cedis which is a huge cost.
The Minister emphasized that there is the need for Regional Festival of Art and Culture to show case the region’s rich cultural heritage in the international front to boost the region’s tourism industry.
Ms Abayage shared with the staff some of her plans she intends embark on.
