Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Running Mate to Nana Akufo-Addo, has observed that the people of the North have become poorer and seen their livelihoods deteriorate in the last eight years under the NDC administration.
He made this observation in Sang in the Mion Constituency while rounding off his 17-day tour of the Northern region, which saw him visit 20 constituencies, noting that but for the corruption and incompetence of the John Mahama led government, the people of the North would have seen an improvement in their lives and not a worsening situation.
Lamenting about the living conditions of the people in the Northern region, Dr. Bawumia said: “I am ending this first leg of my tour with a lot of sadness. I have seen so much poverty, so much underdevelopment, basic infrastructure in many of our villages is non-existent and the levels of poverty are so high.
“President Mahama with the SADA could have done something major. The resources of SADA could have reduced the poverty of the people of Northern Ghana but the corruption of this government in the management of the SADA programme. The mismanagement and incompetence of this government has led to our people being poorer after eight years of this NDC administration”.
Dr. Bawumia, who cited a number of key sectors in which the NDC’s mismanagement had made life unbearable for the people of the North, notably mentioned the issue of Feeding Grants for Senior High Schools in Northern Ghana, which the government has refused to pay for two (2) terms. He expressed sadness at how a government of someone who professes to be a Northern brother can be so insensitive to the future generation and called on the government to immediately pay the feeding grants to allow the students go about their studies without the torture they are currently facing.
Touching on the need for the people of the North to reject the NDC which is characterised by propaganda, corruption and incompetence and opt for the train of change, Dr. Bawumia mentioned the NPP’s pledge to restructure the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to a Northern Development Authority (NDA), which will be overseen by competent and incorruptible officials.
“This is the reason why we need a change. We are going to reorganize SADA. We are going to create a Northern Development Authority. We will appoint people of competence and integrity to handle this Authority, and people who are incorruptible to handle these resources”, he said.
Dr. Bawumia indicated that the NDA will focus on developing basic infrastructure to support agriculture and industry.
“We will bring in a major focus on agriculture, a major focus on irrigation and the roads in the Northern Region to improve agriculture”.
Speaking to the hundreds gathered, Dr. Bawumia said that the flagship infrastructural project for the North under a Nana Akufo-Addo government will be the construction of the Accra-Paga Railway line which will greatly open up the North for industries and support agricultural production and processing.
Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate also touched on the Northern section of the Eastern Corridor road which he noted had become a death trap despite the propaganda from the NDC and promised that the NPP when elected will construct that section of the corridor.
“Our flagship infrastructural project will be the Accra-Paga Railway line and it will be accomplished in the lifetime of a Nana Akufo-Addo government. The Eastern corridor road has been used for propaganda by the NDC government. It is in a very bad shape and is now a death trap but I can assure you that a Nana Akufo-Addo government will fix this road.
“So let us not lose hope. Hope is coming. Nana Akufo-Addo is a man of vision and a man of integrity, he is incorruptible and that is the man we need to lead this country”, he added.
Dr. Bawumia’s 17-day tour of the region saw him touring the Nanton, Kumbungu, Tolon, Damongo, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, Yapei-Kusawgu, Savelugu, Daboya, Tamale Central, Salaga North, Salaga South, Kpandai, Wulensi, Tatale, Zabzugu, Saboba, Chereponi, Karaga, Gusheigu and Mion constituencies.
Sign up for Ghana Star News to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
