PRESIDENT Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been touring the newly created Ahafo, Bono and Western North Regions as part of his efforts to demystify the Presidency, bring the President closer to the people and interact with them and hear their concerns at first hand.
He commenced his tour by cutting the sod for the construction of an interchange in Tamale, capital of the Northern Region.
The project if successfully executed would be the first of its kind in the northern part of the country.
The interchange is expected to help decongest the densely populated Central Business District of Tamale, to ensure free flow of traffic within the Tamale metropolis as well as to the Upper East, North East regions and to the neighbouring Sahel Region.
The Tamale interchange is among the major infrastructure projects being funded under the two billion dollar Government of Ghana Sinohydro Project, to improve infrastructure towards socio-economic development and growth.
The visit to Tamale is the third by the President within four months, having attended the coronation of the Dagbon Overlord, Yaa-Naa Abukari Mahama II, in Yendi.
In fact, as a sign of goodwill for the peaceful resolution of the Dagbon chieftaincy problem, President Akufo-Addo and his Nigerien counterpart, President Mahamadou Issoufou, graced the National Independence Celebration on March 6, in Tamale, which is his first ever in the history of Ghana.
Undoubtedly, the continual visit of the President to the Northern Region demonstrates his commitment to the development of the area, and the people owe it a duty to reciprocate the Presidential gesture, by maintaining peace and security of the region for accelerated development.
Furthermore, his visits to the newly created Ahafo and Western North regions, to interact with the people, certainly afforded them the opportunity to voice out their concerns directly to the President for their fair share of development projects and programmes, to meet their aspirations as residents of a new region.
Perhaps, what gladdens our heart is the pledge made by the President at Sankore in the Ahafo Region, to continue to maintain the stability of the country, by ensuring a peaceful 2020 General Election, and his admonition to the people to reject any act of violence.
We at Ghanaian Times share in the vision of the President to stamp out all forms of militias in the political space for the peace and stability of the country.
Indeed, we have observed with fears the growing trend of political vigilantism, which when left unchecked, can distablise the country.
It is our hope that we will all listen to the admonition of the President and play by the rules of the game for a smooth 2020 election.
We at Ghanaian Times commend the President for the first phase of his tour of the country. Indeed, it is a worthy tour!
It is our belief that the feedback gathered from the tour and others yet to be undertaken, will feed into the public policy making by the government.
Definitely, this will help improve service delivery and equitable development toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
