TAMALE BENEFITS FROM SISTER-CITY RELATIONSHIP (PAGE 25, JULY 6, 2009)

AT the 25th anniversary celebration of the Tamale-Louisville Sister-City relationship, the then Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwadjo Adjei-Darko, described the relationship between the people of Tamale and Louisville in the United States as the best organised and well-coordinated of such relationships in the country.
“Tamale and Louisville are surely the touchbearers of a well-organised and well-coordinated people-to-people relationship in Ghana,’’ he stated.
And in a speech read on his behalf at the same platform, the then President and Country Co-ordinator for Sister-Cities in Ghana, Mr Prince Kwame Kludjeson, also acknowledged that the Tamale-Louisville relationship had become a model not only in Ghana, but also internationally.
The anniversary was marked in June 2004. And five years on, the relationship that is the oldest of its kind in the country is still chalking up a lot of successes as a result of the dynamic leadership of the Zo-Simli-Naa, (Chief of Friendship), Dr Susan J. Herlin, and her determined colleagues.
It was, therefore, appropriate and most refreshing when the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Nayina, on behalf of the chiefs and people of Tamale metropolis, expressed appreciation to Dr Herlin for the tremendous role she played in not only resuscitating the relationship, but also in keeping the flame of the companionship burning.
The Zo-Simli-Na’s title was conferred on her by the late Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani II, in recognition of her untiring efforts at promoting and forging closer friendship between the citizens of the two cities.
The minister mentioned the establishment of a scholarship scheme for brilliant, poor students and support for education and health sectors, as some of the initiatives people in the metropolis enjoyed over the years.
Mr Nayina made the commendation during a courtesy call on him by the Zo-Simli-Naa and her husband, Professor Mcgaffy, in Tamale.
Also included were some executive members of the sister-cities in Tamale and a three-member visiting team from Louisville.
According to the minister, the Regional Coordinating Council had followed the exploits of the chief with “keen interest and excitement as you seek to bring citizens of the two cities much closer through the numerous exchange programmes, especially in the areas of culture and business development.”
He gave the assurance that the Northern Regional Coordinating Council would continue to support the delegation in all initiatives they intended to embark upon for the accelerated development of the metropolis.
For her part, Dr Herlin said the quest by the people of Tamale for investment and business growth would better be enhanced and achieved when certain sectors were properly developed.
She mentioned in particular the Tamale Airport, which she said, needed to be expanded and subsequently upgraded to international status.
According to the chief, the strategic location of the airport could make it the most preferred business destination, not only in Ghana, but also the entire West African sub-region.