Executives of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) are calling on stakeholders to partner it in its development agenda at the northern belt of Ghana. The Board Chairman of SADA, Alhassan Andani, who also doubles as the Managing Director (MD) of Standard Bank (Stanbic) Ghana, said he appreciated the anxiety from sections of the public concerning the feasibility of the project but hinted that the objectives would eventually be attained when stakeholders jump on board. "SADA is not going to be some kind of monolistic organisation that is going to do everything by itself...we will more be a catalyst and ensuing that the private sector investment flow are properly honoured, properly protected and that development takes place," he affirmed. Speaking on the Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Andani said the project had cleared some initial hurdles such as the law to back the Authority and the inauguration of the Board. He said implementation will soon be underway, indicating that SADA is targeting a time-span of between 30 to 35 years. Mr Andani said SADA would start with an initial capital of $25 million but estimated that this would steadily rise over the course of the next 30 years. He further stated that the Authority would look to recoup some more investment into the project by mobilizing more funds in the country and outside the borders of Ghana. He added that the private sector would not be left out in the development process since according to him, they are the key stimulators of growth and development in every sphere of life. It was therefore his hope that social interventions such as the construction of good roads and rural electrification would attract them into the area to stem emigration. Dr Sule Gariba, a government policy advisor and Temporary Operational Person for SADA also reaffirmed Mr Andani’s optimism and said that SADA’s core area of investment would be the agriculture sector. Dr Sule Gariba, who also spoke on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show highlighted SADA’s strategy is to “establish some growth poles” in the four regions located in the northern belt as well as the northern part of Volta Region. He revealed that the plan is to target ecological areas with an abundance of water resources in order to transform them into agricultural centres. He said deliberations have begun with the Volta River Authority to check the feasibility of establishing hydro-electic dams on such water bodies to stimulate industrial growth. He added that the Authority are also working in conjunction with authorities of the road sector “to realign the way in which roads are constructed to ensure that as these growth poles emerge, that they will have the required infrastructural services”. Dr Gariba also said his group are also looking to modernise the agriculture sector in the SADA zones and will be looking to partner private bodies that are already familiar with this innovation. SADA is an establishment of the government of Ghana to accelerate development in the northern savannah belt of Ghana. This area includes the Northern, Upper East and Upper Regions of Ghana, and the districts that lie to the north of Brong-Ahafo and north of Volta Regions. Story by Fidel Amoah/Myjonline.com/Ghana