Nana Akufo-Addo (2rd left) with Paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Area, Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI and Dr Alhaji Bawumia
The Paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Area, Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI, says he approves of the ‘1-District-1-Factory’ and the ‘1-Village-1-Dam’ policies of the 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to him, these policies are the surest ways by which the teeming masses of unemployed youth in his town can be gainfully employed, as the twin-track of industrialisation and the increase in agricultural productivity will create jobs and bring prosperity to his people.
Expressing his hope that “whatever you have been fighting for over the past years, this time round you will have it” the Paramount Chief of Tumu indicated to the NPP flagbearer that he has been keenly monitoring the various campaign messages of the various parties, and had come to the conclusion that the promises being made by Nana Akufo-Addo can be implemented.
“With the promises we have heard you deliver on the campaign trail, my people and I believe those messages. We believe that you can perform and carry out those messages, particularly the 1-District-1-Factory. I endorse it wholeheartedly,” the Tumu Kuoro said.
He explained that, “if you consider the Upper West, we have a lot (of resources). If you go to the agricultural sector, we have maize, groundnuts and all manner of products. I believe that our district can even have more than 10 factories. We have the raw materials for more than 10 factories in our district.”
It was the hope of Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI that victory for the Nana Akufo-Addo would mean the establishment of these factories, “so that my teeming youth can get employment for themselves, instead of running down-south for non-existent jobs.”
On the NPP flagbearer’s promise of “1-Village-1-Dam”, the Tumu Chief revealed that “we have been following governments, since time immemorial, and, still, we have not gotten a dam. So I believe that if you give us a dam, it will really help us so much. And we are looking forward to you coming to office, so you give us a dam.”
The Paramount Chief of Tumu made this known on Sunday, September 4, 2016, when Nana Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on him at his palace, as part of his tour of the Sissala East constituency.
Touching on the deplorable nature of the roads leading to Tumu, which the NPP flagbearer travelled on as he made his way to the town, Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI bemoaned the fact that “the current President is our brother, but he has not been able to do anything to help us in the area of the roads. So we are looking up to you, so that when you come to power, we believe that you will be able to fix these roads for us.”
Making reference to the “collaboration” that once existed between the NPP and the PNC in the Sissala East constituency, leading to the then PNC candidate, Moses Dani Baah winning the seat, the Tumu Chief urged Nana Akufo-Addo to consider such a merger for the benefit of his people.
“I am aware that politics needs collaboration. In the past, I am aware that your party (NPP) and other parties have collaborated, and it has yielded results. So it is my wish that if you can work together, it will help us to get what we want. If not, we may be pushed aside,” he appealed.