“This will stimulate vigorous economic activities in the regions and eventually lead to job creation and the economic development of the people,” she stated.

Mrs Kumi-Richardson was speaking at the launch of the Bono Regional Spotlight, a special supplement on the socio-economic potential of the region, in the Saturday, December 14, 2019 issue of the Daily Graphic in Sunyani last Saturday.

The 16-page supplement covered the untapped tourism potential, economic activities, night life, education, sports, among other issues about the region.

A short video documentary on socio-economic activities in the region was also screened, which attracted applause from the audience.

The launch, which was preceded by a health walk involving members of staff of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and the security agencies through the principal streets of Sunyani, was also attended by the Deputy Bono Regional Minister, Mr Siaka Stevens, district chief executives, heads of departments, some chiefs and a cross-section of people in the region.

Launch

Addressing the launch, Mrs Kumi-Richardson said the Bono Region could be considered a newly created region, since its boundaries had been altered, for which reason conscious efforts should be made to bring the necessary development to the people.

“There is the need to repackage the region at both the local and the international levels, which the Regional Spotlight project seeks to achieve through both the literary and documentary media to project the potential and opportunities that exist in the region,” she said.

She mentioned natural resources such as large tracts of arable land for large-scale agriculture, historical and tourist sites, among others, which could be packaged to attract both local and foreign direct investment and tourists.

“It is therefore, pertinent for us to re-tell our story to attract investors for the development of the economic potential of the region. This will stimulate vigorous economic activities and eventually lead to job creation and economic empowerment of our people,” she said.

She, therefore, thanked the GCGL for coming up with such a laudable project and gave the regional coordinating council’s unflinching support for a lot more to be done on the region.

Mrs Kumi-Richardson appealed to citizens of the region, both home and abroad, to assume the nature of Nehemiah in the Old Testament of the Bible to “let us stand and build”.

“Let us stand and build the Bono Region to make it a better place for all of us. Now is the time to contribute out quota to the building of the Bono Region,” she said.

Communication for development

For her part, the Director in charge of News of the GCGL, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, said it was the aim of the company to use the medium of communication to ensure the total development of the country.

She explained that the publication of stories about the developmental efforts of regions, districts and communities could have a ripple effect and encouraged others to do same to solve their developmental challenges.

“For us at the GCGL, what we want to see is the development of every region. We don’t want people to be in Accra and the regional capitals before they can enjoy social amenities. We want everybody, whether you are a child or adult, wherever you live and work, to be comfortable to enhance your performance,” she said.

 “We want to serve you; we are at your service, tell us your needs, we will publish them. Tell us your challenges, we will broadcast them for everybody to know,” she declared, adding that the GCGL had also gone online and digital to enable it to reach and serve a wider audience.

She explained that so far the Regional Spotlight project had been done in the Western, Eastern, Upper West and Bono regions and gave an assurance that the remaining 12 regions would be covered under the project.

Mrs Kitcher said the launch of the Regional Spotlight was just the beginning, since correspondents of the GCGL would continue to cover other issues and publish them from time to time on Saturdays.

Rebranding

The Krontihene of the Sunyani Traditional Area, Oboaman Bofotia Boamponsem, who chaired the launch, noted that the GCGL had branded itself over the years to the extent that every newspaper in the country was now referred to as “Graphic”.

He called for a conscious effort to rebrand the Bono Region after the creation of the Bono East and the Ahafo regions early this year, since without that the region would not be able to rub shoulders with others in terms of development some years to come.

He challenged the various universities in the region to follow keenly all issues that would be published in the various Regional Spotlight editions, research on them and provide the regional coordinating council with alternative development models to ensure the rapid development of the Bono Region.

Earlier, Mrs Kitcher and the Kumasi Zonal Manager of the GCGL, Mr Fred Akuamoah, had paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Bono Regional Minister, Mr Stevens, during which they held discussions on how other issues in the region could be covered.