“I Didn’t Know the World Was Watching My Work”: DCE Shares Emotional Journey to Receiving Prestigious Awards
In a poignant moment that captured the hearts of many at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel last Friday, Hon. Mary Tagba, the first female District Chief Executive (DCE) for Tatale-Sanguli, was decorated with the “Adaptability & Social Infrastructure Advocate Honour.”
The prestigious ceremony, held on March 27, 2026, transformed a night of high-profile diplomacy into a deeply personal celebration of resilience, rural transformation, and the power of silent service.
For Hon. Tagba, who has been in office for less than a year, the recognition came as a shock.
While her work in the Northern Region has been focused on the urgent needs of a deprived district, she admitted she never expected her efforts to resonate far beyond the borders of Ghana.
Her strategy—moving beyond government resources to personally solicit funds from philanthropists and investors has sparked a visible surge in infrastructure development that caught the eyes of international observers.
”I actually didn’t know that what I was doing was actually catching the eyes of everybody, not only my district, but beyond the district, Northern Region, and even beyond Ghana,” she told ExpressNewsGhans , in an emotional interview. “I saw what the government is doing, and I’ve gone beyond that to look for philanthropists, to look for investors, to look for individuals to come to support the district. Because looking at the district I took over, it’s very deprived. For me to depend only on government resources, I don’t think we could even move on.”
The award, presented during the Blackstar Acclamation Honorary Award Summit, was more than just a trophy for the DCE; it was a beacon of hope for every girl child in Tatale-Sanguli.
Hon. Tagba emphasized that her success is a testament to the passion women bring to leadership.
She noted that her dedication stems from a desire to be a living example for parents to invest in their daughters, proving that with opportunity, women “give their all.”
”This is not to me, but to the women and the females in the Tatale-Sanguli district. This will go a long way to encourage the girls in the district,” she stated with conviction.
“They will have me to look up to. And I think that this is a good foundation I’m laying, not for myself, but the females in the district. And then to encourage even parents to invest in their girl child,” Hon Tagba added.
The summit, themed “Rebuilding Trust, Restoring Hope: A New Era of Governance in Ghana,” was graced by distinguished personalities including members of parliament, business entrepreneurs , traditional leaders and global experts.
Hon. Tagba’s story stood out as a reminder that the most impactful governance often happens in the quiet, hardworking corners of the country.
As she looked back on her short but transformative tenure, Hon. Tagba expressed deep gratitude for the divine guidance that led her to this stage.
“This is how far God has brought me. I appreciate what God is doing in my life. And I pray that this will just be the beginning, but not the end,” she said.
Her recognition now serves as a national benchmark, proving that when leadership is fueled by heart and adaptability, the world will eventually stop and take notice.
The DCE was accompanied by her community chief representing the paramount chief of Tatale, National Liaison Officer at the National security Alhaji Yahaya Kundow, Presiding member of the assembly of the Assembly, finance and administration subcommittee chairman , the NDC constituency chairman and her two children and a close friend.
Source: Felix NYAABA/expressnewsghana.com
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