President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo yesterday took the chiefs and people of the Greater Accra Region through what he has been doing in the region for the past three years and 10 months since he took over the administration of the country.
Speaking at a meeting with leaders and members of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs at Dodowa, he said “there are 847 projects being executed in the region, with 423 completed, and the remaining 424 ongoing.”
Out of the 423 completed projects, he said 87 are in the educational sector, 17 in the health sector, 173 in the roads sector, 74 in the water and sanitation sector, 25 in the industrial sector, and 10 market projects.
Of the 424 ongoing projects, he indicated that 92 are in the educational sector, 18 in the health sector, 54 in the roads sector, 113 in the water and sanitation sector, 20 in the industrial sector and 19 market projects.
He talked about the importance of chieftaincy as an institution, reason he set up a special Ministry of Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs and supported the building of the headquarters of the National House of Chiefs with an amount of GH¢3.5million.
Land Acquisition
“Let me also indicate to you my commitment to establishing a committee, God willing, early next year, to take a comprehensive look at the issue to do with the compulsory acquisition of lands by government, its consequences and the possible restoration of lands to their allodial owners.”
The committee, he said, would make appropriate recommendations for the decision of government.
As a sign of his commitment, the President tasked the Minister for Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs “to begin stakeholder consultations with the House, so an agreement can be reached on the composition of this committee and its terms of reference.”
He reassured the House that his government would continue to support the chieftaincy institution so it can be strong and resilient.
“Additionally, as I have said, we would strive to give to the institution the requisite support to resolve chieftaincy matters, and carry out research in the many areas of relevance to curb chieftaincy related conflicts,” he stressed.
With five weeks to the holding of the December 7 elections, President Akufo-Addo assured the House of the wholehearted efforts which were being made by government to guarantee the peace and stability of the nation.
“Ghana has rightly earned a reputation as the pacesetter in democratic governance on the continent, a reputation I am determined to uphold, and, indeed, enhance prior to, during and after the 7th December elections,” he indicated.
He said, “We cannot afford a repetition of the deplorable events that took place recently at Odododiodoo”, insisting that “we have all to work together to create the environment that will allow the Ghanaian people to make their decision on 7th December in freedom, peace and security. It is their right.”
As part of government’s Agenda 111, which seeks to build district hospitals in districts without hospitals, the President told the House that in the course of the next 12 months, the government will construct the hospitals areas without such facilities.
He said districts in the region like Ablekuma Central, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma West, Accra Metropolitan, Ada West, Adentan, Ashaiman, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso West, Ga Central, Ga South, Korle Klottey, Krowor, La Nkwantanang Madina, Ningo Prampram and Tema West would have their share of the projects.
The President of the Regional House of Chiefs and Osu Mantse, Nii Kinka Dowuona acknowledged the various achievements under Akufo-Addo’s government, including their conscious effort to digitise the Ghanaian economy.
He also mentioned the implementation of various policies and programmes like the Free SHS, One District One Factory, One Village One Dam, Planting for Food and Jobs and appealed to the President to help them in their effort to digitise chieftaincy as an institution.
From there, the President moved to inspect works on an almost completed new Infectious Disease Treatment Centre at Dodowa and later some inspect road construction works at the Adenta SSNIT flats, an interchange, bridge and ancillary infrastructure at Boundary Road motorway extension.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu