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The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) has defended its GHc15 million joint investment in the production of guinea fowl in the five regions it is being implementation, saying it is a realistic investment which will soon yield dividend. Alhaji Gilbert Seidu Iddi, Chief Executive Officer of SADA who made the argument, said the Authority entered into a partnership with a private sector investor known as Asongtaba Cottage Industry (ACI) and had procured several machinery and plants that would soon arrive in the country to fully implement the project whose pilot phase was already progressing steadily. He said the GHc15 million venture was a major investment in the sub-sector to take advantages of the huge opportunities in the guinea fowl market both locally and for export that would attract foreign exchange to reduce poverty in the savannah belt. Alhaji Iddi was addressing a forum at the Nyankpala campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) organized by the Department of Agri-business, management and finance in collaboration with SADA. The forum which attracted large numbers of students had the theme: �Accelerated development of the Northern ecological zone, the role of UDS-Nyankpala campus�. Under the afforestation project of SADA which also became subject of public scrutiny, the CEO said five million trees of various varieties including teak and mahogany had been planted in almost all the districts of its ecological zone, with many young persons employed to nurture them. He urged politicians to come up with constructive ideas that would attract more investments to the sector, saying that "public institutions must not be destroyed because of political expediency." He said even though few of the trees were affected by bush fires, the project was doing pretty well, and aimed at greening the north to change the eco-system that would lessen the impact of climate change. Alhaji Iddi said SADA had supported the UDS with 1,000 laptops and a solar panel to propel the laptops in times of electricity blackout all at the cost of GHc1,000,000. He promised the student body of more innovations to change the face of UDS and urged them to study seriously. Professor Samuel Oppong, Dean of the Nyankpala Campus of the UDS advised SADA to do more public education and sensitization to make more people aware of the concept and role of the initiative. He observed that the SADA concept was a new idea which was not well understood by many people but with more education, people would buy into the concept and appreciate it.