He said, the people of the savannah zone, for which the SADA was created, are justifiably expectant to realise rapid development.

President Mills urged the nine-member board to bring its rich experience and diverse expertise to bear on the development of the beneficiary communities to ensure a fair share of the national cake.

Government created the SADA to address the development imbalance between the southern and northern sector and to alleviate poverty through a number of development initiatives in the Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions of Ghana.

Currently the focus on development has been in Accra- Tema, Kumasi and Takoradi, creating a lopsided development and a mass drift of people in the relative less developed areas to the urban areas.

The board is chaired by Alhaji Alhassan Andani, a Banker; with Mr. Paul Victor Obeng, a Development Engineer and Member of the National Development Planning Commission; Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu of the Ministry of Finance, Chief Musa Badimsugru, an Electrical Engineer, Mrs. Blandina Battir, a Community Development Specialist as members.

The other members are Mrs. Akanbangbiem Asokea, a Lawyer, Mr. Akwasi Addae Boahene, Strategic Management Expert, Victoria Okine Gender Expert, and Dr. Sulley Gariba.

The President administered the Oath of Secrecy and the Oath of Allegiance.

President Mills observed that some members of the board have been involved in the conceiving and creation of the SADA, and asked them to identify the right people to manage the Authority.

The President assured the Board of Government’s co-operation, and with the blessings of the Yuletide season, prayed for SADA to bring rapid development to send signals of the smooth course of Government’s Better Ghana Agenda.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama allayed fears that no budgetary allocation was made to the SADA in the 2011 Budget.

He said there have been pledges from the Donor Community and announced a donor conference on the SADA programme scheduled for next January, after which supplementary estimates will be presented on the programme to Parliament.

Vice President Mahama pointed out that there is money available for the start of the programme.

Alhaji Andani, the chair of the Board pledged the commitment of the board to the task assigned. He expressed gratitude to the President for the opportunity.