Bolgatanga, May 28, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mill, on Thursday said that government would do its best to carry out all developmental activities, outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), manifesto, to make Ghana a better place to live in. He said it was obvious that government could not achieve much in four months but it was focusing on strengthening infrastructure, improving agriculture, education and health sectors of the country. President Mills was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of the Upper East Region in Bolgatanga, as part of his visit to the area. He said government was expecting a lot of investment in the country and it would speed up development in the northern sector, with various development interventions like the Northern Development Fund (NDF), Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), to boost agriculture and propel businesses to expand.
President Mills said a railway would be built from the southern sector of the country to the northern part to enhance transportation of goods.
He called for unity, saying, "Unity is strength, and we need to come together to work hard and be selfless, to build Ghana for ourselves and for our children."
Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, said infrastructure such as urban roads, office and residential accommodation in the region were in a state of disrepair and appealed to government to assist the region to rehabilitate them.
He called for the decentralization concept to be strengthened since it had lapsed back and contracts on roads and dams were given at the national level without reference to or notification of the regions and districts, making it difficult to supervise those projects and "This often leads to shoddy work".
Concerning agriculture, Mr. Woyongo appealed to the President to ensure that tractors were released early to the regions so that farmers could have their plots ploughed in good time. Mr. Woyongo commended President Mills on behalf of the chiefs and people of the region for taking the initiative to address the developmental imbalance between the north and south by establishing SADA that would identify and harness the economic potentials of the savannah areas of the country.
Mr. Woyongo said even though the Bawku conflict had left a big scar on the once peaceful region, there was hope that a lasting solution would be found to the problem soon.
He said a mini military barracks was being put up at Bazua, near Bawku to ensure permanent presence of the military to boost the confidence of the people.
The project was being financed by the Regional Coordinating Council, Bawku Municipal Assembly and district assemblies in the region. Pe Awiah Awampaga II, Chief of Paga, and President of the Regional House of Chiefs, on behalf of his colleagues thanked the President for the visit.
He said the people appreciated the honour the President gave them by appointing citizens of the region to ministerial positions, giving the area an opportunity to contribute to nation building.
