Use your ‘friendship’ with Akufo-Addo to reward Volta Region’s loyalty - Edudzi to Rawlings

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Deputy Greater-Accra Regional Youth Organizer and member of the legal team of the party Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe is advising the founder of his party, Jerry John Rawlings to exploit favourably, his newly-found friendship with President Akufo-Addo to reward the loyalty of the Volta Region since he the founder is of the opinion that Volta Region has nothing to show after years of loyalty to the NDC.

According to Lawyer Edudzi, it is his “prayer that former President Rawlings will use his friendship with Nana Addo” to get him to complete projects the John Mahama government started but has been abandoned by this government.

In a very long article sighted by MyNewsGh.com, he said it is not entirely true that Volta Region has nothing to show for its loyalty to the NDC but admits Volta Region is not heaven, and also that development is not an event but a process.

Touting his Volta Region roots, he asked “why is the former President who had the privilege of ruling for 19yrs blaming others for the underdevelopment of the Volta Region?”

“After 19yrs, he still believes that he didn’t have enough time. He wanted more time finish the unfinished business. So how can he in all fairness, blame Mills or Mahama?” He asked.

“What would be the motivation?” He asked further.

“To further court further dislike and ill will for the opposition NDC? To help Nana Addo get his two terms?” Edudzi Tamakloe asked again and again.

Read the full article below

CAN THE RECORDS BE SET STRAIGHT WITHOUT ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS?

Good morning The respected Queenmother of Mepe is no more. She was a great traditional ruler. She is reported to have ruled for 63yrs.

It is the expectation that the funeral processes of such a noble woman will not be associated with petty partisan gamesmanship. She must be accorded dignified burial. Members of the family of the late Queenmother decided to visit the former President, Jerry John Rawlings to inform and invite him to the funeral.

Speaking to the family, he decided like always, to attack former President Kuffour and late President Professor Mills. He didn’t spare former President John Mahama.

He is at liberty to engage in such conducts. He believes that Mr Kuffour initiated the criminal prosecution of the wife just to spite him and the National Reconciliation Commission works to highlight alleged human rights abuses during the AFRC and PNDC rule by assembling very dodgy characters like Matthew Adabuga among others to assail his character.

Incidentally, Nana Addo was the Attorney General then. I have no doubt that it is not going to stop. Some elders of the NDC believe that President John Mahama brought this unto himself by being extra nice to former President Rawlings, and that he has by being extra nice become a soft target for President Rawlings. (Volenti non fit injuria).

What more can be the reason for the attacks and name callings? Especially looking at President John Mahama who ensured that none of his appointees attacked the founder.

But his response to this gesture from the former President Rawlings is attacks,more attacks and more attacks.Hahahahahahaha The attacks will continue.

My focus is really on the claim by the founder of the NDC to the effect that the NDC had failed to compensate the Volta Region for the loyalty towards the NDC.

He is reported to have said “nothing to show for the loyalty towards the NDC.” The evidence on the ground does not support the claim by the founder of the NDC. The claim of “NOTHING” is therefore without any basis except to spite the NDC.

First of all, I am a Ghanaian with both parents from the Volta region. Born and raised in the Volta region.

I believe in the Ghana agenda. I am not comfortable with politics of regionalism and tribalism. I believe that every President must focus on developing the country as whole.

The 1992 Constitution is against discrimination. Rawlings was the first leader of the NDC after ruling for 11yrs as a military leader. He ruled democratically for 8yrs.

Put together that, and it is 19yrs. I have stayed in the following towns in the Volta Region. Nkwanta, Kadjebi, Kpando and Kpeve. And travelled to many of the towns in the region.

At least from Accra to Aflao. Nkwanta-Kpassa-Damanko. Have-Kpando-Nkonya-Kwamekrom-Dambai-Krachi. Asikuma-Peki-Kpeve-Have-Hohoe-Jasikan-Kadjebi. Fume-Bame.

I can say that I have a fair idea of the Volta Region. I honestly want to see the Volta Region like Dubai. Volta region by its geography, stretches from the coast to the northern part of Ghana,precisely Damanko and Tinjase unlike Greater Accra region.

But it will be unfair for anyone to suggest complete neglect of the Volta Region by the NDC. A friend was recently surprised to see the road from Dawhenya to Dzodze to Akatsi, we attended the funeral of the father of a comrade.

He was pleasantly surprised by the roads. He said he was expecting to see very bad roads but that was not the case. I believe that more could have been done.

But obviously not neglect. Why would the former President, try to isolate himself from the problem?

Why is the former President who had the privilege of ruling for 19yrs blaming others for the underdevelopment of the Volta Region. After 19yrs, he still believes that he didn’t have enough time. He wanted more time finish the unfinished business. So how can he in all fairness, blame Mills or Mahama?

What would be the motivation? To further court further dislike and ill will for the opposition NDC? To help Nana Addo get his two terms?

What is the game plan?

The attack on the electoral fortunes of the NDC without more. Court disaffection towards JM or the NDC? As the President of Ghana, he ensured that the seed money for the establishment of the University for Development Studies was provided in the Northern Region.

Just as the late President Professor Mills (may his gentle soul rest in peace) initiated, funded but could not complete the University of Allied Health and Science in Sokode with satellite campus in Hohoe. At least President Mahama ensured that it was completed. It is now a full fledged university.

And then the University for Natural Resources in Brong Ahafo. That is the vision.

President John Mahama initiated and sourced for funding for the University for Environmental Studies in the Eastern Region with campuses in Somanya and Donkor Krom (Afram Plains).

The Nana Addo administration attempted to move the other campus from Donkor krom Bunso near Kyebi without any justification,contrary to the Act of Parliament establishing the University.

By the time President Mahama left office, out of the 14 Community Day Schools allocations to the Volta Region, about four were completed and in use.

Nchumuru Community Day School, Nkwanta Day Secondary School, Kwamekrom Tepa Manya Secondary school and one in the North Tongu District(Dove) and the many at different stages of completion.

And the building of several basic and junior high schools (schools under trees)

The enormous work done by DCEs between 2009-2016.

My good friend,Hon Angela Tay of Afadjato South, will tell you how focused she was in executing developmental projects within the Assembly.

Development is a process and not an event. The road from Fume to Bame. Beautiful Have to Kpando. Another good one. Late President Professor Mills immediately he got the Chinese $3bn master facility approved by Parliament, added the Eastern Corridor Road Project to it. Starting from Asikuma Junction through to the Northern Region. The first disbursement was used for the Ghana Gas Project to harness the associated gas from the Jubilee Fields. The Chinese started pulling back and hence it affected the Eastern Corridor Road Project. Government immediately decided to put the whole project under different lots to allow for for different funding sources.

So the Nkwanta-Kpassa-Damanko to Northern Region portion had a Brazilian facility unfortunately the change in government in Brazil affected the disbursement of the facility. The European Union funded the portion from Nkwanta through Brewaniase to Dodi Pepeso. From Jasikan to Hohoe was given to Rolider under the cocoa roads project. Hohoe to Golokwati as well. Unfortunately the change of government in 2016 has affected those projects.

The Ho Dual carriageway project that started before the 2016 elections has also been put on hold. President John Mahama successfully got the Japanese government to restore the Yen Portfolio. The Japanese government decided to fund the construction of the bridge at Volivo.

From the 1950s, no major works had taken place on the Adomi suspension bridge. That got completed under President John Mahama. That bridge links the rest of Ghana to the middle and northern part of the Volta Region. I am not by this saying that Volta Region is heaven on earth but you can see genuine commitment to develop the Volta region.

The rehabilitation of water treatment plants in the Region. Construction of health posts in the region. It is my hope that the Nana Addo administration will try to complete those projects. It is my prayer that former President Rawlings will use his friendship with Nana Addo to get him to complete those projects.

I noticed that the late President Professor Mills did not build a university in the Central region but Volta Region just as Rawlings did in the Northern Region. The NDC has in its anthem, “Development, our goal. Hence, the party anytime in power tries to ensure equitable distribution of developmental projects. No discrimination. It is important that the founder of the NDC gets himself adequately informed about everything that happened in the Volta Region between 2009-2016. I am not interested in the people from Volta Region who got appointed by Mills and Mahama from the Volta region. In fact, President Mahama’s first Chief of Staff was from the Volta Region. He later became the Interior Minister. The Governor of the Bank of Ghana was Dr Wampah, from the Volta Region. Until President John Mahama left office, the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana was from the Volta Region, Dr Johnson Asiamah. As for the Ministers and deputy ministers, the record is there.

The CEOs of the various state banks were at a point all from the Volta Region. Steve Kpordzi and his board chairman,Togbe Alor for the Agricultural Development Bank.

Mr Agbesi and his board chairman, Togbe Afede for National Investment Bank. Simon Dono and board chairman, Dr Fritz Gockerel of Ghana Commercial Bank until the board was reconstituted.

These personalities are all from the Volta region. How is this evidence of neglect or nothingness? The objective truth does not support the claim of nothingness.

With the greatest respect to the founder, this latest attack is regrettably misconceived and has the tendency to further create apathy in the region towards the NDC with the sole purpose of promoting Nana Addo without more.

The Volta Region remains the nerve centre for the NDC. There is nothing wrong with asking for more but we must genuinely appreciate efforts and encourage people to do more.

This is not an attack on the Founder but just setting the records straight. It is not also to suggest that every road in Volta region is asphalted or every village has hospital but conscious efforts have been made in past ensure more and more development in the region.

We shall continue to discuss the massive corruption under Nana Addo’s nepostic administration.

Ghc 22m premix fuel diverted and stolen.

5 million contaminated fuel scandal Dubious $2.25 billion Kanana bonds Ghc 45 million presidential travels budget.

Massive procurement infractions at NHIA and Ghana Export Promotion Centre. Massive procurement infractions at the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited.

The dubious contract involving Kelni GVG for $179 million among others. I am a citizen and not a spectator. God bless Ghana God bless the Volta Region God bless the Umbrella Family.