Campaign promises: 'I’m doing them one by one' – Akufo-Addo tells 'Jeremiahs'

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated the commitment and determination of his government to develop all parts of Ghana without discrimination, adding that he will fulfil all his campaign promises by the end of his first term in office.

According to President Akufo-Addo, “it is important for us that as Ghana goes forward, and all the people of Ghana go forward together in unity, and in hope of a brighter future for our country.”

The President made this known on Saturday, 23 March 2019, when he delivered an address at the Parri Gbielle Festival, in Tumu, in the Upper West Region.

In his remarks, after receiving the title of “Nandong Tenge”, to wit “reliable friend”, President Akufo-Addo thanked the Tumu Kuoro, Richard Babini Kanton VI, Paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Area, for acknowledging the work of government in several aspects of life in Sissala East, and, indeed, in Tumu.

In education, President Akufo-Addo noted that, in addition to guaranteeing access to a minimum of senior high school education for school-going children in Sissala East and Tumu, the government is constructing a two storey 12-unit classroom block at Tumu Secondary Technical Senior High School.

“We have constructed a 6-unit classroom block at Kanton Senior High School, work is ongoing to complete a 1-storey 320 capacity girls dormitory block at Tumu Secondary Technical Senior High School, and we have opened a tender for the construction of another 320 capacity boys dormitory block at Tumu Secondary Technical Senior High School,” he added.

The President indicated further that modern kindergarten blocks and basic classroom infrastructure, including 3-unit classroom blocks, have been constructed at Kowie, Challu and Kassana.

Touching on agriculture, and with Tumu being a bread basket for our nation, he commended the farmers of the area for their farsightedness and sense of progress in embracing the programme for “Planting for Food and Jobs”.

As part of the programme, a total of 15 motorcycles have been presented to agricultural extension officers in the area to aid them in their work, whilst a contract has been awarded and the site handed over for the construction of a 1,000 metric tonne storage capacity warehouse in Tumu.

On water and sanitation, President Akufo-Addo noted that 20 boreholes in different institutions in Sissala East have been constructed, and the Tumu town water system is in the process of being revamped, with construction and rehabilitation of pumps and expansion of the system ongoing.

“We have constructed 5 institutional toilet facilities at Kanton Senior High School, Tumu College of Education, Tumu Secondary Technical Senior High School, Tumu Community Centre, and the Holy Child Senior High and the Walambele, initiatives under the Ministry of Special Initiatives,” he added.

With the government having nearly completed a CHPS compound in Atase, and a 3-bedroom doctor’s, the President noted that the construction of a new police station in Balu is almost complete.

Response to Tumu Kuoro requests

President Akufo-Addo assured the Tumu Kuoro that work will begin soon on the cotton ginnery in Tumu, with 10 dam sites, in Lilixi, Sakai, Jijen, Kulfuo, Challu Bechamboi, Duu, Dolinbizon, Wuru and Nabugubelle, handed over for construction under the 1 Village, 1 Dam programme.

“Two other additional dams are under construction under the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project so it brings to a total 13 dams under construction here in Sissala East. I want to make the promise I made that, in my time, we are going to have all year farming in the Upper West, Upper East and all the northern sectors of our country. That is going to be one of the legacies I want to leave the people of Ghana, and we are on course to do that,” the President said.

He indicated further that plans have been put in place for the running of the Nurse Assistant Preventive and Nurse Assistant Clinical programmes at the Tumu Midwifery School.

On the request to construct fence walls around the two senior high schools in Tumu, President Akufo-Addo revealed that cabinet has issued directives for the Ministry of Education to construct fence walls around all SHS’s which are under threat of encroachment, and urged the schools to put in their request to the Minister of Education.

“We are constructing 21 state-of-the-art Technical and Vocational Educational Training Centres across the country, and I am determined that the Minister for Education should make sure that one of the two TVETs destined for the Upper West Region is sited here in Tumu,” the President added.

He continued: “The commitment that I have made to the people of Ghana, that under my presidency, we will witness a revival and a redevelopment of our country, is on course, and our programme for government is on course. I know that there will be some traditional Jeremiahs who will say: ‘Oh he can’t do this, he can’t do that’, they have been saying it. They should open their eyes. I am doing them one by one. We are on course.”