“Politics is about contest, not hatred.”
That was the opening message from Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, as he arrived in Nadowli-Kaleo on Monday, June 8.
His remarks were seen as a direct response to critics of the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mary Haruna.
“I always support her because she grew up with me from childhood. I raised her; we’ve been through everything together,” Speaker Alban Bagbin told a packed gathering of teachers, chiefs and parents.
“Some people may be against her, but that is their own concern. Whoever wins will have my support. And if you lose, I will still encourage you to work harder next time,” he added.
He urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and members of the community to put aside internal disagreements and work together in the interest of development.
“The DCE cannot independently award contracts on her own—the law does not allow that. Once a contractor wins, they are expected to deliver development to the area. We must move beyond these petty differences,” he said.
The former Nadowli-Kaleo MP also expressed concern about stalled development projects at the Assembly, attributing the delay to the absence of a Presiding Member.
He explained that the absence of a Presiding Member for the Assembly has stalled key financial processes, leaving some funds inaccessible.
“Because we don’t have a Presiding Member, some funds are effectively locked up. We cannot move forward without that leadership in place,” he said.
He urged Assembly members to resolve the impasse quickly to allow ongoing projects and contracts to proceed without further delays.
After addressing issues of politics and governance, Speaker Alban Bagbin shifted focus to education, distributing 16,584 sets of school uniforms to 7,884 boys and 8,700 girls across 151 basic schools in the district. The uniforms were provided through his intervention with the Ghana Education Trust Fund.
For many pupils, the intervention comes at a critical time. At Queen of Peace Senior High School, enrolment has more than doubled over the past decade, rising from about 300 students to over 600, without a corresponding expansion in infrastructure or furniture.
“There is not even space for someone to sit or sleep. The situation is overcrowded,” Speaker Alban Bagbin lamented. “At Queen of Peace, out of more than 100 tutors, only 11 have accommodation. Some are forced to live in Wa and commute daily to teach here. This is not sustainable. Government alone cannot solve it.”
He further stressed that school uniforms carry significance beyond appearance.
“When children wear uniforms, it helps reduce socioeconomic differences. The open display of wealth often creates social hierarchies, bullying and exclusion. But when pupils are in clean, decent and attractive uniforms, it promotes discipline and a sense of equality,” he explained.
He described the use of tattered school uniforms as “a dent on the reputation of parents, as well as those of us who lead this country and political leadership.”
However, Speaker Alban Bagbin cautioned that providing uniforms alone would not resolve the district’s broader education challenges. He highlighted the acute shortage of accommodation for teachers and urged indigenes of Nadowli to take a more active role in addressing the problem.
“Look at Accra, Kumasi and Wa. It is not the government alone that built those places. It is the citizens, the sons and daughters of those communities,” he said. “I will personally engage the landlords so that land can be made available for development.”
Speaker Alban Bagbin concluded the event with a heartfelt tribute to teachers, crediting them for the role they played in shaping his life and career.
Reflecting on his early years, he said teachers had been instrumental in his journey and expressed deep appreciation for their dedication and impact.
“Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I remain extremely grateful. I am fortunate that my Primary One teacher is still alive. If you visit Atebubu, you will hear about Teacher Adu. He established the Roman Catholic school in Sombo and was among the first to teach us,” he recalled.
The Speaker also challenged the long-held notion that teachers receive their rewards only in the afterlife, arguing that their contributions deserve recognition while they are still alive.
“I do not believe that the reward of teachers is only in heaven. It should also be on earth,” he said. “That is why I introduced the Teachers’ Award in Nadowli-Kaleo long before it became a national initiative. We were the first to do it.”
His remarks underscored the importance of honouring educators for their service and recognising the critical role they play in shaping future generations.
The uniforms were formally handed over by Speaker Alban Bagbin to the Member of Parliament for Nadowli-Kaleo, who then presented them to the District Chief Executive (DCE) for onward distribution through the Acting District Director of Education.
As part of his visit, Speaker Bagbin also cut sod for the construction of a 24-hour economy market in Nadowli and commissioned two newly completed six-unit classroom blocks at Naro and Guree. The projects were funded through the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Nadowli-Kaleo MP Anthony Sumah Mwinkaara expressed confidence that the distribution of the uniforms would help improve school attendance and enhance learning outcomes among pupils in the district.
However, it was the District Chief Executive, Mary Haruna, who delivered a strong call to action on the state of education in the area.
“We must confront the declining standards of education in this district, particularly our BECE results. Improving educational outcomes will require a collective effort from government, parents, teachers, traditional leaders and the wider community,” she said.
For the pupils who received the uniforms, the initiative represents an opportunity to attend school with confidence and dignity. For district leaders, however, the challenge now is to address outstanding issues, including the Assembly’s leadership gap, the provision of accommodation for teachers and the need to improve academic performance across the district.