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President John Mahama has expressed appreciation to the chiefs and people in the Upper West Region for their overwhelming support that culminated in the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the December general election.
“I want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty and support, and for your confidence in the vision and leadership of the NDC.
“Your support was extraordinary, you stood firm, you spoke clearly, and you chose hope over despair, unity over division and development over stagnation.
“I do not take this for granted and I will never forget the favour you have done me,” he added.
Apart from winning the presidential election with a commanding margin, the people also delivered all 11 parliamentary seats to the NDC.
The President was speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of the region in Wa yesterday as part of his Thank You Tour of the area.
President Mahama pledged to honour his promise of extending development projects to all parts of the country, saying “a new dawn has arrived”.
“The real work begins now, and I am here not just to say thank you, but to reassure you that your voice has been heard and your vote has a purpose, and that purpose is to bring development to this region,” he added.
The President said Cabinet was in the process of approving priority projects under the government’s ‘Big Push’ infrastructural programme.
He said a significant number of priority projects would be in the road sector that would include dualisation of major highways, such as the Accra-Kumasi, Accra-Takoradi and Accra-Aflao roads.
The President said there would also be a new expressway between Accra-Kumasi to reduce the travel time between the two largest cities in the country to about two and half hours.
President Mahama acknowledged the terrible road network in the Upper West Region, but said that under the Big Push, the government would prioritise the Wa-Tumu-Bolgatanga trunk road and the Techiman-Wenchi-Bole-Wa-Hamile corridor.
He said sections of the Sawla-Fufulso road would also be resurfaced to improve connectivity between the Upper West, Savannah and the Northern regions.
“These roads would not only enhance trade and transportation but would also stimulate cross-border business and revive economic activities,” the President added.
“In some few months, you will see contractors on all these roads because the money has been provided in the budget,” the President added.
He said that the government had set aside some GH¢14 billion in its budget for road projects this year under the Big Push, “and the Minister of Finance has assured me that contractors would be offered 15 per cent mobilisation to commence work”.
He said under the Big Push programme, any contractor who would present his certificate would be paid within two weeks.
President Mahama further said that agriculture would also receive support to improve farming to ensure food security in the country.
He said under the Feed Ghana and Agriculture for Wealth Creation agenda of the government, small and medium-scale dams across Sissala, Lambusie and Wa East would be constructed as community-based irrigation schemes to promote dry season farming.
Earlier, the Paramount Chief of Zini, Kuoro Abu Diaka Sukabe Ninia V, who is also the Vice-President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, expressed appreciation to the President for returning to thank them.
He lamented the poor road network in the region which he said needed urgent attention.
He also appealed to the government to come to the aid of the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) and the Dr Hilla Limann Technical University.
“These universities have been deprived of both lecture halls, student hostels and other infrastructure for quite a long time,” the chief added.
