He asked them to refrain from partisan politics which can influ­ence their decision-making.

Mr Nburidiba made the call in Tamale yesterday, when he interacted with the heads of the various departments in the region to familiarise himself with them.

He said “as public servants your primary goal is to derive opportunities that can benefit the state and the people you serve rather than any political party ideology”.

Mr Nburidiba said he met the officers to enable him know the problems of the region and iden­tify ways of driving the growth and development of the area effectively.

He assured them that he would effectively work with them to champion the development of every community in the region.

The Acting Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordina­tion Council (NRCC), Mr Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, said the min­ister’s meeting with the heads of department was an important step in establishing a good working relationship.

He assured the minister of their unwavering commitment to delivering on his expectations as the minister of the region.

“Our gesture demonstrates the eagerness of our collaboration to work with you as a team towards achieving your vision as a minister of the region,” Mr Abudu said.

He noted that the commitment of the heads of department was crucial to ensuring the success­ful execution of developmental projects and programmes in the region.

The Acting Chief Director stated that, “with our expertise and commitment, we would work together with you (minister) to drive growth, improve service delivery and enhance the overall quality of life for every person in the entire northern region.”