The Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has pledged support to champion calls for the separation of Chiana from Paga as a separate constituency in the Upper East Region.

The Chiana/Paga seat is located within the Kassena/Nankana District of Upper East Region, and as of 2024, it had a total registered voter population of 54,916, according to the Electoral Commission's figures.

Without considering land size, Sekyere Afram Plains in the Ashanti Region is the constituency with the lowest registered voter population of 22,814.

Dome-Kwabenya leads the pack of constituencies with the highest voter population, with the highest of 182,644 registered voters, followed by Ashaiman with 174,633 registered voters, Awutu Senya East with 173,995 registered voters, and Amasaman with 170,371 registered voters among others such as Kwabre East, Ledzokuku, Anyaa Sowutuom, Oforikrom, Trobu, and Kpone Katamanso.

According to Mahama Ayariga, the demand for separating Chiana/Paga constituency was legitimate and long overdue.

Mr Ayariga acknowledged that the call for the separation of Chiana from Paga had been ongoing for nearly 12 years, noting that successive election periods had seen promises made but not fulfilled.

“Each time elections come, disputes arise, and we try to resolve them by promising that in the next election, a new constituency will be created. Unfortunately, term after term, we have not been able to live up to that promise,” he said.

Addressing chiefs, opinion leaders, and residents during the 10th anniversary celebration of the enskinment of the Sirigu Naba, Azukodaana, at the inaugural Azuko Festival at Sirigu in the Kasena Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, the Majority Leader assured the people of his solidarity with their demand.

“I sympathise with you, I agree with you, I support you, and I will join you to fight for that cause,” he said.

Mr Ayariga paid tribute to the Paramount Chief of Sirigu, Naba Atogumdeya Roland Akwara III, describing his reign as one marked by peacebuilding, unity, and relentless efforts at community development.

He said the testimonies from earlier speakers and his people were evidence of the chief’s commitment to bringing his people together and improving livelihoods in the area.

He said the government remained firmly committed to rural development, particularly through agriculture, which he described as the backbone of rural economies.

He outlined initiatives in crop production, livestock development, and large-scale commercial agriculture, explaining that these efforts were aimed at job creation, economic growth, and reducing Ghana’s heavy reliance on food imports.

According to him, expanding commercial agriculture would not only boost productivity but also ease pressure on the local currency.
Renewed calls

The renewed call for the creation of a new constituency dominated the event, as the Paramount Chief of Sirigu and the Member of Parliament for Chiana-Paga, Nikyema Billa Alamzy, both reiterated concerns about the vast size of the constituency.

“Our constituency is too large to effectively serve the people,” the chief stated. “We need a separate constituency to ensure proper representation and to address our needs more efficiently,” Mr Alamzy said.

He explained that the geographical size and population of Chiana-Paga made it difficult for a single MP to effectively attend to development demands across all communities.