The Founder and Vice-Chancellor of the Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies (MITDS), Professor David Millar has noted that it is not strange that the developmental dispensation in the north zone is still struggling to catch up like other regions.
One of the numerous reasons is that people who are indigents still have the notion that investing in this part of the country is wasteful thinking and would rather do their business in the capital cities and towns, he said.
Professor Millar who was a guest panel on Day Break Upper East Show on A1 Radio, on the topic, bridging the developmental gap in the northern zone, the way forward on the agricultural sector noted that he has been giggled at for many years for establishing a private university in the Upper East Region.
He said, “Many brothers have walked to me, asked me why do I have to make that mistake in establishing a private university in the Upper East Region. Will I recoup my money back? This is the usual question many usually ask me. But I always give them the answer that if the money was not there I would not have opened the school in the first place, and I do not think of getting my money back. You see, people who are supposed to be asking me how can they partner to help build the region with our little resources are rather indifferent. Many of the people in the northern zone do not have faith in the regions so how can it develop? Until they rethink and yank that notion off, the northern zone will continue to be backwards in terms of development.”
“We should always remember that government(s) alone can not bring all the amenities we deserve but with our little ways, we can and gradually increase and expand development”, he added.
The professor however noted that in his many years in the Upper East Region he has observed that the Guruni (frafra) people are the most selfish people and do not like teamwork for growth.
Part of that attitude among the people he believed are the cracks that are contributing to the backwards development experienced in the region.
He said “Sometimes they will often argue among themselves as to where a government project should be sited and by the time that they will finish arguing that project will be gone. Why are you doing this to yourself?”
Source: A1radioonline.com