For the people of Chereponi in the North East Region, peace has become more than the absence of conflict; it is increasingly serving as the foundation for development and improved livelihoods.
Years after intermittent disturbances disrupted social and economic activities in parts of the district, communities are now witnessing significant investments in education, healthcare, water supply and public infrastructure. Residents say these gains are a direct result of the peace and stability that have prevailed in recent years.
MP
The Member of Parliament for Chereponi, Alhassan Seidu Alajor, believes the district's development strides would not have been possible without the commitment of residents to peaceful coexistence.
Speaking during the inauguration and handover of nine development projects across the district, Mr Alajor expressed satisfaction with the prevailing calm. He urged residents to continue embracing peace as a catalyst for progress.
“Without peace, there cannot be development and investment,” he stated.
“The progress we are witnessing today is a direct result of the peace our people have maintained over the years.”
Projects
The projects included the inauguration of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds at Naja and Adali.
A newly constructed hand pump borehole at Lalitani
The MP also handed over a renovated three-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities at Kukpong, a refurbished bungalow for the District Director of Agriculture's bungalow and a renovated girls’ dormitory at the Chereponi Senior Technical School.
Other projects comprise a fully furnished three-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities, office and store rooms and a changing room for female students at the Tambong D/A Junior High School and three mechanised hand-pump boreholes for the Nachem, Papaye and Lalitani communities.
Infrastructure
For years, many communities in the district grappled with inadequate educational infrastructure, limited access to healthcare services, unreliable sources of potable water and deteriorating public facilities.
Pupils often studied in overcrowded classrooms, residents travelled long distances to seek medical care and access to clean drinking water remained a challenge in several settlements.
The completion of these projects is expected to improve access to essential services and enhance the quality of life for thousands of residents.
Reflecting on the district’s past security challenges, Mr Alajor noted that many of the projects would have been difficult, if not impossible, to execute during periods of instability.
“We can undertake all these projects because of peace. A few years ago, I could not have come to Adali because there was no peace.
Not only would inaugurating a project have been impossible, but even constructing a CHPS compound, renovating a girls’ dormitory or building schools would have been extremely difficult,” he said.
Mr Alajor also commended the district chief executive, the district coordinating director, and the staff of the Chereponi District Assembly for supervising the projects and the contractors for delivering quality work on schedule.
As schoolchildren prepare to learn in safer and more conducive classrooms, expectant mothers gain access to healthcare closer to home and families draw clean water from newly installed boreholes, the impact of peace is becoming increasingly visible across Chereponi.
For community leaders and residents, the message is clear: peace is not merely the absence of conflict; it is the pathway to development, opportunity and a brighter future for all.
