The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Former President John Dramani Mahama, has outlined part of his development blueprint and priorities for the Volta Region.
If elected into power, he said, the government would tackle the Eastern Corridor Road network and other trunk roads, including the Ho-Aflao highway to enhance transportation and boost business.
Additionally, he said a modern market would be constructed at Aflao to rival the “Asigame” market in Togo as well as upgrade the Ohawu Agricultural College to a University status.
Former President Mahama said this when he addressed the Regional House of Chiefs as part of his campaign tour of the region dubbed “Building the Ghana we want together”.
Accompanied by some stalwarts of the party, the focus of the tour was to elicit input to update its 2020 Peoples Manifesto, which emanated from the people to shape the new one.
Commiserating with the victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage, he promised to provide a compensation and settlement fund for the hundreds of people who have been displaced.
Under the development blueprint and priorities for the Region, he said Ho Teaching Hospital would be upgraded to “Centre of Medical Tourism” to deliver high quality health care to all and sundry.
He said the next NDC government would speed up oil exploration in the Voltaian Basin, facilitate the establishment of an industrial park, expand irrigation facilities in the region to support agriculture and establish an ICT hub to deliver start-up projects.
The NDC flagbearer said the collapse of the economy had plunged the country into unfettered hardship, leaving the masses in a hopeless situation, which is forcing the teeming youth to bank their last resort on the NDC for redemption.
Mr Mahama said the NDC would have an arduous task to resuscitate and transform the economy, create jobs for the youth by stimulating the private sector.
He said the 24-Hour Economy Initiative was a game-changer as it would incentivise targeted segment of the economy on the pillars of security, reliable transport, provision of adequate electricity and preferential market to take care of commodities to be produced.
He pledged to operate a lean ministerial portfolio pegging it at 60.
Togbega Patamia Dzekle VII, the Vice President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, thanked the former president for his generosity to the flood and tidal wave victims, resulting from the spillage and sea surges.
He cautioned against the use of inflammatory language in the discourse of political campaigns, saying the younger ones were highly awake and these behaviours could influence them into the future.
Togbega Dzekle entreated Mr Mahama to tackle environmental concerns, including “Galamsey” and mining in general, like Lithium, corruption and give recognition to traditional leaders in his second coming.
The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli state, Togbe Afede, in a remark, said all the laudable policies, programmes and projects Mr Mahama envisaged would only come to fruition if corruption was tamed and caged. —GNA
