President John Dramani Mahama has challenged the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to prove to Ghanaians and people of the Eastern Region in particular what they did for them in their eight years of governance.
“Although they have all the years boasted that Eastern Region is one of the stronghold regions, they have not done anything in terms of infrastructural development to change the living condition of the people.”
President Mahama threw this challenge when he concluded his second phase of campaign in the Region with two-day rallies at various constituencies.
During the two days President Mahama inaugurated a new market project at New Abirem in the Birim North, addressed rallies at Ayirebi in the Ofoase Ayirebi constituency, Akroso and Suhum.
On his second day he addressed rallies at Sempoa in the Abetifi constituency, Mpraeso, Asokore and Koforidua Municipality and inaugurated projects at the Osiem Saviour Church.
President Mahama said in his first four- year term his administration had established an ultra-modern hospital at Abetifi-Kwahu, 104 Community Health-based Planning Services (CHPS) compounds throughout the region.
He said his administration had also constructed 13 new Community Day Senior High Schools in the Region alone adding: “The NPP during their eight years of administration could not build a single Senior High School in this region.”
On roads and potable water, President Mahama said the National Democratic Congress had distinguished itself in the Region and the entire country, where a total of 4,500 kilometres of roads had been constructed throughout the country.
He questioned: “How can you continue saying the Eastern Region is your stronghold when you cannot change the life of a single soul in the region?
President Mahama said since independence, the NPP had only succeeded in criticising other regimes without alternative suggestions for good governance.
He said during President Nkrumah’s regime, the NPP criticised him for the construction of the Tema motorway, Tema Oil Refinery and the Tema harbour, which later became instrumental in the socio-economic development of the country.
“All they do is to discourage Ghanaians for following the right government and yet they are not always able to provide alternatives.”
President Mahama appealed to the people of the Region to massively vote for the NDC for him to continue with the projects he had embarked on.
At all the programmes, the chiefs made demands such as provision of potable water, senior high schools and health facilities.