05/09/2026
THE REIGN OF ALHAJI SALISU BIO SAMA,
Kete–Krachi PNDC Secretary(1985–1991)
The wind has a way of revealing what was once hidden.
Throughout the long history of KETE and Kete-Krachi for that matter, there have emerged sons whose contributions reached beyond the boundaries of their immediate community. Among them was Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama, a man whose hand touched both the palace and the podium.
Born into a distinguished household, Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama came from a family whose name remains deeply woven into the history of KETE.
His father, Sarki Alhaji Alhassan Bio Sama, occupied the Sarkin Kete (Kete Chief) seat twice, first from 1938 to 1940, and again from 1966 to 1971. His uncle, Sarki Alhaji Yusif Bako Midjinmata, also served as Sarkin of KETE. His elder brother, Sarki Alhaji Mohammed Baba Bio Sama, later served as Sarkin Zango from 1986 to 2002, a period of sixteen years and would forever be remembered for his wisdom, dignity and charisma.
There is a Hausa saying “Gaado ba ya ƙarewa da mutuwar mutum ɗaya.” - Inheritance does not end with the death of one man.
The Bio Sama family did not merely inherit a chieftaincy. They inherited a responsibility to serve. Alhaji Salisu Bio carried that responsibility beyond the palace and into public administration.
Before he entered the highest levels of District Administration, Alhaji Salisu Bio had already served his community in several capacities, from a teacher, a businessman, and as Head of Finance at the Zonal Secretariat of the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution (CDR) in Kete-Krachi.
On 24th July, 1985, he was appointed PNDC Secretary for Krachi District by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, then Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
The position was the administrative office that preceded what is today broadly comparable to the office of the Municipal Chief Executive, he served for approximately six years, until October 1991. For many who lived through that period, his tenure remains associated with an era of significant development and transformation across the district.
The Test of a Leader - The VRA Compensation Crisis
Every leadership journey has its season of fire and testing, for Alhaji Salisu Bio, one of the most trying periods of his administration came during the controversy surrounding the Volta River Authority (VRA) compensation funds.
Following allegations concerning the mismanagement of compensation fund, a government inquiry was conducted and recommendations were subsequently made through a White Paper.
The controversy created tension within the community, and Alhaji Salisu Bio, as the government administrator responsible for implementing government policy, found himself at the center of the storm.
It was a storm he did not create, but was called upon to navigate.
These were followed by a violent demonstration by some ill-informed residents and citizens of the District. This led to the arrest of six people who were to be prosecuted and punished, but in the process attacking his person.
The arrested persons were the beneficiary of his leniency after he appealed to the Government for providing caution and reprimand to the attackers. His position was, in essence, that the peace and stability of Kete-Krachi were more important than personal vindication, that moment tells us something important about leadership.
A true leader is not measured only by how firmly he stands when challenged, but also by how wisely he responds when given the power.
A Record Written in Roads, Light, Health and Education
The years of Alhaji Salisu Bio's administration were marked by initiatives that touched several aspects of life in the District.
Among the developments attributed to his period of service were;
1. Electricity for Kete-Krachi Township first in history of the town.
2. Microwave telecommunications in Kete-Krachi.
3. Rehabilitation of Kete-Krachi Hospital
4. Drainage infrastructure to address flooding within Kete-Krachi.
5. Establishment of Kete-Krachi Senior Technical School.
6. Health Centre at Borae No. 2.
7. Establishment of Oti Secondary School at Dambai
8. Establishment of Agricultural Secondary School at Asukwakwa
9. The preservation of the district's boundaries
His administration was also involved in efforts to prevent Dambai, Asukwakwa and neighboring communities from being transferred to Nkwanta District, helping preserve the territorial integrity of Krachi District at a critical period.
Taken together, these developments represent a broad footprint electricity, telecommunications, healthcare, drainage, education and territorial administration.
After his tenure as PNDC Secretary, Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama continued in public service and was subsequently called upon to serve at the Castle in Accra, another indication of the confidence placed in his administrative experience.
He remained a son of KETE who carried the name and aspirations of his community into the wider national arena.
Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama passed away on 13th November, 2017 in Accra and was laid to rest in his birthplace, KETE.
Allah ya jikan sa. Ya sa shi cikin Aljannatul Firdaus.
May Allah have mercy upon his soul and grant him Jannatul Firdaus.
Alhaji Salisu is a Native Son of KETE who rose to Lead Krachi District. The sons and daughters of KETE were not merely spectators in the making of this land. They participated in its traditional institutions, its commerce, its education, its administration and its development.
From Sarki Alhaji Alhassan Bio Sama, to Sarki Alhaji Yusif Bako Midjinmata, to Sarki Alhaji Mohammed Baba Bio Sama, and to Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama, we see a family whose members served both through the traditional institution and through modern public administration.
The story of Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama is not the story of one family alone. It is one chapter in the much larger story of the contribution of the people of KETE to KETE-KRACHI. The people of KETE have been part of the history of this land “tun fil Azal “ from time immemorial. And as we continue documenting our history in this era of social media, let us remember one fundamental principle.
History should not be written by volume, emotion or repetition. It should be written by memory, evidence, courage and truth.
The contribution of KETE to the development of Krachi Municipality deserves neither exaggeration nor erasure. It deserves to be remembered.
May the legacy of Alhaji Salisu Bio Sama continue to inspire generations.
