A youth group in Gonjaland has expressed strong displeasure over what it describes as the selective donation of pickup vehicles by President John Dramani Mahama to only the Brifor Youth Association and the Vagla Youth Association, while other recognised youth groups in the region were left out.
The concern was raised by Mr. Yahaya Abdul-Razak, Chairman of the Heart of Gonja Youth Group, who questioned the rationale behind singling out specific associations for the gesture.
The donation, made through the Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi Constituency and Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yussif Sulemana, saw two pickup vehicles presented to the Gonjaland Youth Association and the Brifor Youth Association on behalf of the President. The presentation followed an earlier donation of a vehicle to the Vagla Youth Association by President Mahama.
Deputy Minister Alhaji Sulemana Yussif, while presenting the vehicles, stated that the gesture forms part of the President’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of youth associations that continue to play significant roles in promoting peace, unity, and stability within the Savannah Region. He added that the vehicles are expected to enhance the operations of the associations and support their community engagement activities across the region.
However, Mr. Abdul-Razak said he is unable to understand why the President would single out only the Brifor and Vagla Youth Associations for vehicle donations when several other equally well-recognised youth groups in Gonjaland also contribute to peace and development in the region.
He argued that donating a vehicle to the Gonjaland Youth Association which is the mother body of all youth associations in Gonjaland was sufficient, and that extending individual donations to sub-groups like the Brifor and Vagla associations was unnecessary and potentially divisive.
“The donation has a tendency of creating more divisions among these youth groups,” he warned.
Mr. Abdul-Razak further noted that both the Brifor and Vagla Youth Associations are supposed to operate under the umbrella of the Gonjaland Youth Association, and that the manner of the donation risks making the Brifor Youth feel detached from the broader Gonjaland identity.
He is therefore calling on President Mahama to extend the same gesture to other youth groups in Gonjaland, including the Heart of Gonja Youth Group, the Kamara Youth Association, the Hanga Youth Association, the Tampulma Youth Association, the Safalba Youth Association, the Choriba Youth Association and the Dagatti Youth Association, among others.
Listen to an audio clip of Mr. Yahaya Abdul-Razak concerns over the donation.
