Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, has voiced concerns over the reluctance of landowners in the Bolgatanga Municipality to release lands for government projects.
The minister highlighted the difficulties faced by the Regional Coordinating Council in obtaining land for the construction of institutions essential for the municipality's status as the regional capital.
Addressing the issue during the 13th Biannual Congress of Bolgatanga, Nangodi, Bongo, and Tongo (BONABOTO), an advocacy civil society organization, Mr Yakubu expressed the challenges encountered in constructing institutions such as the passport office, the Office of the Labour Department, the Minerals Commission, and the SOCO Offices.
The minister emphasized the importance of BONABOTO and chiefs in sensitizing communities about collaborating with the Regional Coordinating Council.
He noted that families and landowners often demand exorbitant compensation packages for lands, deterring both investors and government institutions from establishing a presence in the region.
Mr Yakubu further highlighted the historical chieftaincy disputes in Bawku, stating that despite relative calm in the Bolgatanga chieftaincy conflict, the resolution of the case at the National House of Chiefs was crucial for lasting peace.
Tongraan Kugbilisong Nanlebtang, the Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area, who chaired the occasion, called for the decentralization of regional institutions and offices to municipalities and districts.
This, he believed, would alleviate the pressure on land in the Bolgatanga Municipality and facilitate more widespread development in the region.
The chief urged his fellow leaders to make land available for developmental purposes, expressing his willingness to release land in his jurisdiction for development.