President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, ended his two-day tour of the Upper West Region, bringing an end to his one-week tour of the three Northern Regions.
As part of his activities on Monday, July 24, President Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on Wa Naa, Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV and commissioned the newly-constructed Amatrol Laboratory at the Hilla Liman Polytechnic.
Dissatisfaction
President Akufo-Addo expressed unhappiness with officials of the Wa Polytechnic for the delay in changing the institution’s name to Hilla Limann Polytechnic several months after the announcement was made.
The President in January 2018 named the Polytechnic after Hilla Limann following a recommendation by the governing Council of the Polytechnic, who unanimously made the proposal to the Minister for Education.
The move was meant to keep the memory of the late Ghana’s former President alive, but authorities of the Polytechnic are yet to effect the change in name of the institution.
On arrival on the campus, he was surprised to see the old name still boldly written at the school’s main entrance and other directional sign posts.
President Akufo-Addo later held a meeting with members of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs in Wa as part of his tour of the region.
He said: “Some time ago, the Governing Council of the Polytechnic came to me to tell me that they want to rename the Polytechnic after Dr Hilla Limann, and I agreed and made the announcement publicly, so it is not my decision.”
He appealed to the chiefs to impress upon the Polytechnic officials to effect the change while they work towards converting the institution into a technical university.
The President also inspected ongoing works on the construction of a multi-purpose youth centre in Wa, which is expected to be completed in nine months’ time and also commissioned the new building of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs.
On the second day of his tour, President Akufo-Addo, inspected the 760-Kilometre Wa-Han Road, which links 13 important towns with three big markets at Jang, Bussie and Han.
The road serves as a major arterial for the Nadowli/Kaleo, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa Districts and the Jirapa Municipality
With 22 kilometres of this stretch not constructed, the President revealed that procurement processes are currently ongoing, and it’s envisaged that by the end of 2018, physical works would start.
President Akufo-Addo also paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Ullo Traditional Area, Naa Alhaji Baburonon Amadu Seidu II, who congratulated the President for the implementation of initiatives such as the free Senior High School (SHS), ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ and the restoration of the allowances of trainee nurses and teachers.
He also commended the President for elevating Jirapa District into a municipality, a development he said would improve the standard of living of the people.
Naa Seidu also urged President Akufo-Addo to consider carving out a new district from the Jirapa Municipality to expedite development.
President Akufo-Addo also visited the Ullo Senior High School, where he commissioned newly constructed classroom block for the school, and reiterated government’s commitment to meeting the infrastructural needs of the school.
Prior to ending his tour, the president interacted with chiefs and queen mothers from Jirapa, Sissala East, Sissala West, Nadowli/Kaleo, Daffiama-Bussie-Issah and Wa East at a durbar held in his honour.