Bolgatanga: Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister, has assured Ghanaians of strict transparency and accountability in the management of the Bawku Revitalisation Fund. Speaking during a press soiree held in Bolgatanga to account for his one-year stewardship to the region, the Regional Minister emphasized that every cedi would be used judiciously to deliver measurable benefits to the people of Bawku.
According to Ghana News Agency, the establishment of the GHS1 billion Revitalisation Fund was announced by the government as part of efforts to restore Bawku, following the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Mediation process on the protracted Bawku conflict in December 2025. The Fund will be managed by a committee comprising Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister of Finance, the Regional Minister, and Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central. The funds will be utilized over a three-year period from 2026 to 2028.
The Fund aims to focus on rebuilding and developing key infrastructure such as roads, healthcare facilities, schools, agriculture, and irrigation systems, including dams to support all-year farming activities. It will also support the construction of security installations, as well as economic and commercial facilities.
Mr Akamugri highlighted that the Fund, announced by President John Dramani Mahama, is a strategic intervention to rebuild livelihoods and accelerate development in Bawku, which has faced prolonged socio-economic setbacks due to years of conflict. He assured that transparency, accountability, and measurable impact will guide the utilisation of resources, which are meant to directly benefit the intended recipients.
The Bawku Revitalisation Fund will support critical sectors including infrastructure development, youth employment, women's empowerment, small business growth, and social cohesion. The initiative is designed to revive economic activities, support traders and farmers affected by instability, rehabilitate public infrastructure, and create opportunities for skills training and entrepreneurship, particularly for the youth.
The Regional Minister stressed the importance of sustainable peace in Bawku, reinforced by deliberate economic empowerment and targeted social investment. He noted that development interventions are essential complements to ongoing peacebuilding efforts. Mr Akamugri invited the media to actively monitor the implementation of the Fund, describing media scrutiny as key to ensuring accountability and public confidence.
He reiterated the commitment to reposition Bawku as a hub of commerce, agriculture, and cultural harmony, adding that openness in managing the Fund would help restore hope and stimulate inclusive development in the area.