Mahama recommits to devt of Ashanti Region

Former President John Dramani Mahama has reit­erated his commitment to develop the Ashanti Region if he wins Saturday’s election.

He said despite being the biggest beneficiary of votes in the region, the New Patriotic Party govern­ment had neglected the region and must be shown the exit at the polls.

Speaking at the Manhyia Palace here in Kumasi yesterday during a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, John Mahama said as president between January 2013 and January 2017, his government heavily invested in the region; investments which cuts across all spheres of the economy.

For example, the former presi­dent said his previous government, acknowledging that the Ashanti is the second largest city in the coun­try, invested in health infrastructure including the Afari military hospi­tal, Sawuah and Bekwai hospitals, amongst other health projects and the Kejetia market.

“When we rolled out the E-block initiative in preparation for the full rollout of the free senior high school programme, Ashanti Region alone hit 13. Konongo and Kumawu did not have water but we undertook a water project from Afram Plains in the Eastern Region to ensure the two communities had potable water,” he recollected.

The first phase of the Kumasi Airport project, Mr Mahama said was completed and the second phase started before he left office, yet it is not fully completed after eight years and highlighted his government’s investments in the road sector.

“Otumfuo, it is time we come together and salvage this country from the clutches of the NPP government because everything has taken a nosedive. It’s been eight years of burdening our coun­try with debt and in the process ridiculing Ghana in the comity of nations because we can’t pay our debt,” he stated.

In vein of the financial con­straints his potential government could be saddled with, Mr Mahama said he would use the little resourc­es that would be available to him to complete all projects started by the NPP government before venturing into new ones.

“It is our scarce taxes which have been invested in these projects which government didn’t have the funding to complete so I pledge to you and the nation that we won’t be in a haste to start new projects but complete existing ones before undertaking new ones,” he said to applause.

In his view, the NPP govern­ment has taken the Ashanti Region for granted because it knows there won’t be any political consequences even if it fails to develop the area.

“You can however count on us in the NDC to partner you for the development of Ashanti Region and when by the grace of God I become president again, we’ll con­tinue to invest in the region.”

Ghana’s growth, according to former President Mahama has stunted in the last eight years and an experienced hand was needed to steer it back onto the path of progress and growth.

He said having destroyed the economy and defeat staring them in the face, the NPP was engaged in vile propaganda by spreading falsehood that he would cancel the free SHS programme if he won power.

“It is on record that the NDC steered the free SHS programme progressively because we needed to put in place measures to avoid the challenges the policy has been sad­dled with. How then can I cancel something we started?

“We will rather come and fix the challenges of the free SHS policy. We will expressly build dormitories, classrooms and dining halls in the existing schools and continue with the construction of the E-blocks to create the space to accommodate the children and end the double track system which has disorgan­ised the school calendar,” he stated

 FROM JULIUS YAO PETETSI, MANHYIA PALACE

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