While on an inspection tour of the project last Monday as part of his campaign tour of the region, the President commended the contractors for the impressive pace of work.

The project is being funded by the Saudi Fund for Development, while Berock Ventures Limited is undertaking the actual construction.

When completed, there will be dental, imaging, pharmacy, accident and emergency, intensive care, ENT, eye, mental health, public health and herbal medicine units, as well as various wards.

It will also have a mortuary and laundry, laboratory and blood bank units.

Accelerated development

On the second day of his campaign tour, President Mahama also addressed mini-rallies at Garu, Tempane, Pusiga, Bawku, Zebilla and Nabdam and paid a courtesy call on the Bawku Naba, Abugrago Azoka II, at his palace.

The rallies were attended by teeming supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC ).

President Mahama said the next four years would see accelerated development of the region.

He said the government would pursue economic transformation and livelihood empowerment interventions that would improve the lives of the people, explaining that the policy would help create more opportunities for people to work and earn decent incomes to improve their living conditions.

At Pusiga, the President said the NDC government had, for the past four years, ensured improvement in infrastructure in sectors such as roads, electricity supply, water supply, education and health care.

Agriculture

Taking note of the need to advance agriculture to improve the incomes of farmers and support national development, President Mahama said: "That is why three days ago I cut the sod for the construction of the first farmer service centre. Fifty of them will be constructed in the country on a pilot basis and one of them will be in Pusiga, while a micro-credit centre for farmers will also be provided."

He urged the women to form cooperatives to facilitate access to credit facilities.

He said he was President for all Ghanaians, for which reason he provided development projects for all the citizenry.

"In 2012 you voted for me; now I know you will vote for me again and I know God is on our side. You must come out in your numbers to vote," he urged the supporters.

Parliamentary candidates

President Mahama used the rallies to educate the people on how to vote and also introduced the parliamentary candidates to the supporters.

He urged them to look for the umbrella symbol and vote for both him and the parliamentary candidates, saying: "I do not want skirt-and-blouse voting."