The Volta Regional Chapter of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has hit back at President Akufo-Addo telling him the region needs development projects and not his frequent and empty visits.
“The president during his recent visit to the Volta region has demonstrated once again like his previous visits that he hasn’t got much to show in terms of development for the hard working, determine, focus and resilient people of Volta.” – Mr. Sorkpa K. Agbleze said in a press statement copied Awake News.
According to him, “It is trite knowledge that the president has on several platforms made promises to bring development to the region, however there are no concrete indications pointing to the fulfillment of those promises.”
Recounting the promises made by the President to the people of the Volta Region, Mr. Agbleze said:
“During the State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) in 2019, H.E President Nana Addo said a consortium of local banks has raised 51 million dollars to fund the completion of the housing units started by the former President Kuffour’s administration in 2006 at Koforidua, Tamale and in Ho.”
For him, “The fact is that there are no housing projects anywhere in and around Ho. Surprisingly not even a dime of the 51 million dollars raised by the consortium of banks as stated by the President came to Volta Region for any housing project.”
On the issue of the yet to be built Keta Port that has had a CEO appointed and being paid salary for the past ten months, this is what Mr. Agbleze had to say:
“The President in 2018 signed an Executive Instrument to commence the construction of a seaport in Keta. Subsequently, the government appointed Dr Alexander Adusei as Director of the yet-to-be constructed Keta Port, a situation that has caused many of the people to express misgivings about the project. To make a bad case worse, Dr. Alexander Adusei Jnr the Director of the yet to be built Keta Port, continues to draw salary for ten (10) months since his appointment for no work done. When one visits the area demarcated for the Keta Port, all one can see is a signage. Why should the nation continue to pay Dr. Adusei when all he could show of the port project is a small bill board with the inscription, “Site for the Keta Port.”
Mr. Agbleze has however, listed over 30 projects the region has witnessed under the former President Mahama administration.
Read the full release:
PRESS RELEASE
25/02/2020
VOLTA REGION NEEDS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS NOT EMPTY FREQUENT VISITS FROM THE PRESIDENT.
The president during his recent visit to the Volta region has demonstrated once again like his previous visits that he hasn’t got much to show in terms of development for the hard working, determine, focus and resilient people of Volta.
It is trite knowledge that the president has on several platforms made promises to bring development to the region, however there are no concrete indications pointing to the fulfillment of those promises.
Below are some of the sweet promises of the President to the Volta Region.
1. During the State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) in 2019, H.E President Nana Addo said a consortium of local banks has raised 51 million dollars to fund the completion of the housing units started by the former President Kuffour’s administration in 2006 at Koforidua, Tamale and in Ho.
The fact is that there are no housing projects anywhere in and around Ho. Surprisingly not even a dime of the 51 million dollars raised by the consortium of banks as stated by the President came to Volta Region for any housing project.
2. The President in 2018 signed an Executive Instrument to commence the construction of a seaport in Keta. Subsequently, the government appointed Dr Alexander Adusei as Director of the yet-to-be constructed Keta Port, a situation that has caused many of the people to express misgivings about the project. To make a bad case worse, Dr. Alexander Adusei Jnr the Director of the yet to be built Keta Port, continues to draw salary for ten (10) months since his appointment for no work done. When one visits the area demarcated for the Keta Port, all one can see is a signage. Why should the nation continue to pay Dr. Adusei when all he could show of the port project is a small bill board with the inscription, “Site for the Keta Port.”
The President himself have not shown much commitment on his part towards this project proposal to the Volta Region. This has been demonstrated as there was no financial commitment on the side of the government in the 2019 Budget towards the Keta Port. Interestingly too, there was no mention of the Keta Port in 2020 Budget either. Maybe this could also be a mistake as was the case when critical roads from the region were missed from the budget.
3. H.E President Nana Addo have promised the people of Ghana “One District one Factory” 1D1F, a little over three years now into his government, not even one district in the Volta Region can boast of any 1D1F flagship programme of the President.
The people of the Volta region have on several occasions appealed to the President to complete several abandoned projects in the region but to no avail.
Here are but a few of the projects that have been abandoned by president Nana Addo.
1.The five (5) district water project.
The phase one and two of this project was completed under the John Mahama government with the water treatment plant located at Adidome in Central Tongu.
This project was meant to supply water to the people of Central Tongu, Adaklu, Ho West, Agortime Ziope and Ho central when completed. However the hope of the people of having access to portable water have become elusive as the last phase of the project which is the distribution phase has been abandoned by the Nana Addo led government.
2. Sea defense project.
The sea defense project from Atorkor , Agbledome, Dzita Anyanui and Fuveme have been abandoned. The people living between Atorkor, Agbledome, Dzita Anyanui and Fuveme stretch have always experienced the deadly and devastating effects of tidal waves leading to the lose of lives and properties.
In other to solve this problem, the NDC government have done a sea defense wall from Atorkor all the way to Agbledome.
They have also constructed the Atorkor Dzita Anyanui road to make the area which once inaccessible and difficult for the indigenes to visit market centers in Keta, Anloga and Dabala very accessible.
The last phase of the sea defense project which is the Dzita Anyanui stretch have been abandoned under the Nana Addo led government.
3. The region have witness the abandonment of several road projects in the region. Some of the abandoned road projects include the Shime roads, Kome roads and roads in South Tongu, Adaklu, Tongor Dzemeni roads as well as the Volivo bridge in North Tongu among others.
The NDC in the region wants to draw the attention of the president to the fact that under his administration, several youths in the region have lost their jobs as a result of his government’s approach to the banking sector clean up and the closure of nine radio stations in the region. The list of radio stations closed down are radio Tongu, Hogbe radio, Sekpele radio, radio Kpando, Dayi fm, Akpini Fm, Light FM, Abacc FM etc.
We want to also assure the president that he is at liberty to frequently visit the region as he so wish, however those visits will be meaningless if it does not translate into tangible development of the region.
The people of the region are still in shock that despite the numerous visits of the president to the region, apart from not having any significant project in the region, he has also failed to attend major festivals in the region. An example is his absence from Hogbetsotso festival which is celebrated by six districts and municipalities within the Anlo state from 2017, 2018 and 2019 and other major festivals in the region.
The Volta region under John Mahama have witnessed several developments, just to mention a few:
1. Water treatment plant that serves the Kpando municipality and parts of Biakoye.
2. Five district water treatment plant at Adidome.
3. University of health and allied science
4. Ho aerodrome ( Ho airport)
5. Ho market
6. Modern abattoir at Sokode
7. Construction of E-block at Volo, Avenorfeme, Adaklu, Kwamekrom, Nkwanta, Chinderi etc.
8. Expansion of infrastructure facilities in schools such as Ketasco, Spaco, Three town, Biheco, Zico, Keta Busco, Ho Mawuli, Sokode SHS, Ve Koloenu etc.
9. Chps zones across the region
10 ICT centers in Keta, Tegbi, Agortime Ziope, etc
11. Expansion of the Akatsi south district hospital with theater, administration block, staff bungalow, children’s ward and a mortuary.
11. Keta and Anloga shopping mall.
12. Asphalting of some Ho town roads.
13. Asphalting of some Aflao town roads
13. Asphalting of some Kpando town roads.
14. Asphalting of some Hohoe town roads.
15. Construction of the Atorkor Agbledome sea defence wall.
16. Started the Blekusu Agavedzi sea defence wall.
17. Constructed the Abor to Aflao roads
18. Ho – Adidome road
19. Ho- Fume road
20. Kpando – Dambai road
21. Sogakope Aveyime Battor roads.
22. Built district assembly offices for North Tongu, Afadzato South, Ketu North, Akatsi North, Adaklu, Ho West etc.
Signed:
Sorkpa K. Agbleze ( Volta Regional Communication Officer)
Delali Bright Kugbeadzor (Deputy Regional Communication Officer)
By: Efo Korsi Senyo / awakenewsroom.com