The Volta Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Makafui Woanyah, has rated the government 72% on the delivery of campaign promises in the region.
He explained that the government prioritises the development and well-being of people in the region hence remains committed to redeeming its promises.
Speaking at a press conference in Ho in response to comments of the government’s unfulfilled promises by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Woanyah enumerated achievements chalked by the Akufo-Addo-led-administration in the Volta Region within its three and half-year administration.
He said that land has been acquired for the construction of affordable housing units off the Ho-Kpetoe road, adding that efforts are being made to extend utilities to the site to attract investors.
He stated that the construction of the 90-kilometre Ho-Aflao road and completion of the five districts water supply scheme would also impact positively on the commencement of the affordable housing project.
He said that the Volta Region had received its fair share of the disbursement of the $1 million per constituency by the Ministry of Special initiative, debunking claims by the NDC that the government had not delivered on this promise in the Volta Region.
Mr Woanyah indicated that the distribution of ambulances to all constituencies in the region, construction of institutional toilets, and 1 district 1 warehouse projects were financed by funds allocated under the $1 million per constituency policy.
The Ho, Ketu North and Hohoe Municipalities have already been provided Warehouses, while procurement is underway for the acquisition of land for the commencement of work in other districts across the region.
He added that the government is in the process of acquiring a land for the construction of an industrial park in the Adaklu district.
In the health sector, he said that government retooled, reequipped and converted Ho Teaching Hospital, undertook rehabilitation of various existing health facilities, while districts hospitals would be constructed at the newly created districts.
“Today, Trafalgar [Ho Teaching Hospital] is an entire hospital and people will not travel to Korle Bu and 37 hospitals to access their referral needs”, he stressed.
He also mentioned the restoration of nurses trainee allowances and employment of backlogs of trained nurses and other health workers since 2010 as fulfilled promises.
“Another example is the heavy investment made in the Drone Delivery System in the health sector, one of the largest drone delivery systems in the world. But the NDC characteristically does not see this as any investment in the health sector. Not even the procurement and deployment of over 300 ambulances fitted with all modern intensive care gadgets, single largest deployment since our independence.”
Mr Woanyah warded off claims the government had failed in the provision of potable water and abandoned the Adidome Five Districts Water Scheme, explaining the Mahama administration failed to secure funding for phase three of the project.
“..the NPP government has secured a loan facility of £11.5 million and approved by parliament to undertake the phase 3 which is the distribution of 5,000 gallons of water daily to 5 districts which include Central Tongu, North Tongu, Adaklu, Agotime-Ziope districts and the Ho Municipality” he added.
He added that a Spanish grant of $3.78 million under the Water Supply Improvement Project has been secured for the construction of 18 water supply systems in 35 communities in 4 districts, with an estimated population of 95,000.
The Chairman explained that supply and installation of pumps would have been completed if not for the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, which slowed construction works.
He highlighted government’s heavy investment in the education sector which includes the restoration of the teacher trainees allowances, implementation of the free Senior High School policy and its associated promises “escaped their [NDC] lenses”.
He asserted that NDC can not match achievements of the NPP in the implementation of educational policies and project in the Volta and Oti Regions, as almost all second cycle and tertiary institutions in the regions have benefited from either the provision of, furniture, infrastructure or vehicles during the previous and current NPP administrations.
“Is it not pathetic and misleading for the NDC to make the claim the current government abandoned the Eastern Corridor road?”, he quizzed.
Mr Woanyah added that the Eastern Corridor project which saw the bitumen surfacing of the Kadjebi-Dodi Pepesu stretch under the John Kuffuor administration and some progress on the Asikuma-Peki stretch during the tenure of the late President Mills was abandoned when former President Mahama assumed office.
Mr Woanyah, however, indicated that works had resumed on the Hohoe-Jasikan stretch of the Eastern Corridor Road, while the Sokode-Ho dual carriage, Ho-Aflao road and the Fodome-Hohoe road are also being constructed. He added that procurement processes have been completed for work to commence on Klikor-Aflao road.
He accused the NDC of being ignorant of the One District, One Factory concept which is a private-public partnership, and urged the NDC parliamentarians in the Volta Region to take advantage of the policy and bring in investors.
Mr Woanyah said the NPP government completed and paid over 70% of the construction cost of the Ho-Airport, though the economic viability of the project is yet to be realised.
“Having dismissed the bias assessment and false claim of the NDC, i wish to state that a lot has happened in the past 3 years of the Nana Addo government…”, he said.
He emphasised that the Volta Region has been shortchanged by the NDC considering the unflinching support people of the region had given the opposition party compared to development projects allocated to the area by the latter.
Mr Woanyah also mentioned the ongoing construction of sporting facilities in Ho and Hohoe to help unearth and nurture young talents in the region.
He, therefore, indicated that the NPP has performed well in governement, hence must be retained come December 7, 2020 and give enable the Akufo-Addo administration “4 more to do more”.