Dr William Ahadzi, Director of Research, NDC announced this at a forum organised by the Northern Development Forum (NDF) to interact with the political parties on their plans and policies for the three Northern regions.

He said the NDC manifesto promised to construct 20 polyclinics in Upper East, Ashanti, Eastern, and Volta regions when given the nod in the  December 7 polls. He said, government through the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority was constructing irrigation facilities to irrigate up to 50,000 hectares of land particularly at Nasia-Nabogo, Pwalugu, Bui, Fumbisi Valley, Tamne and Daka Valley for the cultivation of rice, bananas, cashew nuts, vegetables, soya and maize.

He announced that the NDC had launched the Northern Savannah Agricultural Transformation Programme, to leverage the mobilisation of about one billion dollars to invest in the transformation of agriculture and agribusiness in the Northern Savannah ecological zone.

Dr Ahadzi stated that the party would revitalise the shea nut industry and take steps to ensure increased yields and replicate the 40,000 tonne capacity shea nut processing plant in the Upper West and Upper East regions and support value addition along the value chain.

“We will complete all ongoing water supply projects, provide clean water to district capitals, expand water projects in Yendi, Damongo, Saboba and others, provide clean water to all major health and educational facilities, and protect water bodies to ensure that they continue to provide sources of clean water and sustainable micro-climate”, he added.

He said the party would build new sports stadia in the Upper West, Upper East, Volta, Eastern and Brong Ahafo Regions and systematically develop a new and effective system through public-private partnership in the management of our existing sports infrastructure.

Dr Ahiadzi said the party intends to diversify the sources of funding for the NHIS by allocating an approved percentage of the ABFA from the Petroleum Revenue, continue to prioritise access, equity, affordability and reliability of health services.

He said the party would continue to improve the condition of the national road network and provide safe and reliable trunk road network by implementing the Tumu-Han road projects in the Upper West Region, Chuchuliga-Sandema-Wiase in the Upper East Region, Navrongo-Chuchiliga-Tumu in the Upper East and the Upper West Regions.

A speech read on behalf of Jacob Osei Yeboah, Independent Presidential Aspirant said his government had developed broad policies encompassing governance, education, energy, petroleum and power, security to ensure holistic development of the country.

He said his party would mobilise the traditional leaders to spearhead development projects in the country, since they were key stakeholders in local governance. He said his government  would also create second upper chamber of Parliament with bodies such as the Ghana Bar Association, traditional leaders to acts as checks on the main Parliament since it was characterised by partisan affiliation.

Dr Hakeem Wemah, Chairman of NDF said the Forum was formed in September 30, 2007 following floods that hit the three Northern regions and caused havoc to lives and properties. He said the interaction was the second in a series to be organised with political parties. The first was held in 2008 and that the objective of the forum was to serve as a platform to galvanise support for and influence policy and programmes to develop the three northern regions.

The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA’s) mandate covers the accelerated development of the Northern Region, Upper East Region, Upper West Region, part of northern Brong Ahafo Region and part of northern Volta Region.