The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has released a statement directed to the President during his tour in the Upper West Region.
In the Statement, the Upper West Regional Communication Team of NDC headed by Mr.C Puo-Ire Prosper has questioned the performance of Government in the Region.
PRESS RELEASE
22/08/2022
PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO VISITS THE UPPER WEST REGION- 21st to 23rd
AUGUST, 2022
The NDC has once again taken note of the arrival of President Akufo Addo in the Upper West Region, on a three day official tour. We are informed per the itenary in circulation that, the visit is to afford him the opportunity to interact with the Chiefs and people of the region, via radio program at GBC Radio Upper West, inspect some age old projects and also commission a solar power project that was initiated by the erstwhile Mahama regime.
While we remain convinced that, this visit is as idle as the previous one he embarked on in July last year, we are convinced beyond every reasonable doubt that, President Akufo Addo is never amenable to change, as he is unrepentantly adamant to the litany of appeals and admonishments from our Chiefs and teeming youth, to complete a dozen of meaningful developmental projects he inherited from the previous government, only to abandon them at the stage he inherited them.
It is obvious the Akufo Addo’s government is consciously denying the Upper West Region her fair share of the National Cake. We admonish the good people of the region, to be less expectant because, just as his previous visits, he will not depart from repeating same failed promises, laced with flowery language, but with no emotional attachment of commitment. Infact, the entire visit is only, but a decoy for the President to assuage the conspicuous disillusionment in his party and to personally whip in line the kingmakers of the NPP, to endorse his non performing Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, as the heir apparent of their upcoming flagbearer contest.
As the President opens his formal engagement with the region this morning through a live radio interview at GBC Radio Upper West, we call on him to appear there in contrition and profusely apologize to the good people of the region for his government’s monumental failure to continue the development trajectory that, the region has benefited from previous regimes.
Though it remains trite knowledge that the President in his presidential oath, pledged solemnly to be fair and do right to all manner of persons, we find it strange to fathom why this government under the stewardship of President Akufo Addo, turned a blind sight to the myriad of development challenges confronting this region.
Without any malice or prejudice, we urge President Akufo Addo to eschew his usual pride and sarcasm and honestly address the region on the following germane issues:
1. Why has his government failed to provide seed money for the efficient operation of the Upper West Regional Hospital? When is that money expected?
2. Why has his government halted the vigorous infrastructural expansion program that was ongoing at both the SDD-UBIDS Campus and the Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University? When should the region expect seed money to be released for the efficient operation of these infant institutions?
3. What has been the outcome of the “value for money audit” his government commissioned on road projects that he inherited from HE John Dramani Mahama’s regime, the reason for which all road construction projects in the region were terminated and many of them, abandoned till date ? When are we seeing commitment from his government to return contractors to the roads they abandoned, particularly, the Lawra-Domwine-Hian-Tumu-Navrongo road, the Hamile-Fielmuo-Gwollu-Tumu road, Lambussie Town roads, Wa- Dorimon road among others?
4. We wish to call the President’s attention to the fact that, on 11th October, 2020 amidst pump and pageantry, he cut sod for a 275 meter bridge over the Black Volta, at Dikpe in the Lawra Municipality. The project was to come with a 12 km road in the Lawra Township and some ancillary facilities. It has sadly turned out that, no block has been laid on another since that event, revealing that, the whole project was a political plot to sway the electorate in Lawra to vote NPP.
5. Last year on 19th May, 2021 the Minister for roads and highways (Hon. Kwasi Amoako Atta) broke ground at Kpongu in the Wa Municipality, for the rehabilitation and maintenance of 670 km feeder and farm access roads in the Upper West Region. The project we were told was emanating from a Thirty-Million Euro from the European Union to the Government of Ghana. It is instructive to note that, the said project has also become a phantom project, with no show of commitment.
6. Whilst our students are struggling for limited spaces in the various Senior High Schools, it is instructive to note that, President Akufo Addo’s government has callously abandoned the construction of Community Day Snr High Schools at Zini, Wellembelle, Boo, Konzokala, Naro and Dorimon. This has exacerbated the challenges the region is currently encountering in the development of second cycle education. It is however strange that, whilst HE Akufo Addo’s government cannot find the needed resources to complete these projects, he has found resources to start and complete the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Snr. High School at Akyem-Abomosu in the Eastern Region( The President’s home region).
7. It is instructive that we remind the President that, the poor sense of judgement and poor economic policy of his government, coupled with the legion of substandard officials he has assembled to govern the country, remains the primary course of the draconian economic conditions he has plunged this country into. The sky rocketing prices of fuel, the free fall of the cedi, the hyper galloping inflation, rising unemployment and insecurity are all fruits of his indiscriminate appetite for opulence, profligacy and ostentation. His mis- management of the economy has also cascaded into unbearable prices of farm inputs and implements.
8. We call on President Akufo Addo to immediately put a halt to the bizarre loot of state lands and public bungalows by leading members of his government and party in the region. We admonish him to ensure that, all such lands appropriated to private individuals, be returned to the state with immediate effect and the greedy practice be stopped forthwith.
Though we intend not to belabor the point that, President Akufo Addo’s Presidency has so far being a monumental failure and will remain a relic of non-performance, we hope to Dep. Regional Communication Officer 0206408211Regional Communication Officer 0204852735 Communication Team Secretary 0208491530admonish the President to repent from his segregative posture in the appropriation of development interventions to all corridors of the country, just as the constitution of Ghana enjoins him to do. We call him out, to rise from slumber, cut down his profligacy and halt the economy from a further nose dive into a quagmire of challenges.
End.
…Puo-Ire Prosper…
(RCO)
0204852735