[ 2017-10-05 ]

Parliament recommends takeover of SADA assets, liabilities Source: http://3news.
The Committee on Employment, Social Welfare and
State Enterprises of Parliament has recommended to
government to take over both assets and
liabilities of the Savannah Accelerated
Development Authority (SADA).

Speaking on the floor of Parliament at the second
reading of the Northern Development Authority
(NDA) Bill 2017, the Chairman of the Committee,
Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, indicated that Clause 34 of
the Bill provides that assets, rights and
liabilities of SADA established under the SADA Act
805 be transferred to the Northern Development
Authority upon its establishment.

However, the Committee says it noted that the
operations of SADA cover some parts of the Volta
and Brong-Ahafo regions, where it has offices,
properties and employees.

It observed that the territorial jurisdiction of
NDA, which is expected to cover only the Northern,
Upper East and Upper West regions, may not make it
feasible for the Authority to manage properties
and offices of SADA situated outside that zone.
The Committee therefore recommended that
government takes over and decides appropriately on
the assets and liability of SADA.

Mr Anyimadu Antwi, who also doubles as the Member
of Parliament for Asante Akyim Central, stressed
that as part of its functions, NDA will lead and
coordinate local development initiatives in the
northern zone, according to the Bill.

This he said includes facilitating public-private
partnerships (PPP) to stimulate investments and
facilitating the acquisition of credit by local,
indigenous entities which operate within the zone.


According to him, the Committee is convinced that
the new authority will provide the incentives for
indigenous entities to relocate their operations
to rural communities to create jobs and business
opportunities for the people.

He said the success of the Authority will largely
depend on the active involvement of the
beneficiary communities in the initiation and
implementation of its programmes.

The Committee, therefore, recommends that the bill
makes it mandatory for the Authority to hold
public consultations on major projects it plans to
undertake.

On behalf of the Committee, the Ashanti-Akim
Central MP noted that this will ensure projects
implemented by the Authority are owned by the
community and are of utmost relevance to their
needs.

SADA was established by the previous government
with the intention of bridging the gap between the
north and the south and elevate the north from
extreme poverty.

Members of both political divide in Parliament
supported the bill.

They, however, prayed it never fails but rather
stays and overcomes all the challenges it will
face.

Leaders of the house, Minority Leader Haruna
Iddrisu and Majority Leader Osei
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, threw their support behind the
bill awaiting for its third reading and passage.

Source - 3news.com

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