We’re tired of promises; Volta, Aburi chiefs tell Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama over the weekend suffered credibility crisis when some chiefs lashed out at him over his numerous unfulfilled promises.

Chiefs at this year’s Hogbetsotso festival in Anloga as well as the Aburi Chief, Otubour Djan Kwasi II, were angry that the President had taken them for granted with his unfulfilled promises, telling him in his face that they were tired.

The usual euphoria, chants and cheers that accompany such promises were completely absent when President Mahama repeated most of his unfulfilled promises at the grand durbar of the chiefs and the people during the Hogbetsotso festival at Anloga in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region on Sunday.

The festival is an occasion to celebrate the triumphant escape from Notsie in the olden days, reconcile the chiefs and citizens, acknowledge and take stock of the past and plan for future developments.

Most of the people who were excited to have President Mahama join them for the festival were, however, unmoved when he assured them that the Ho-Adaklu-Adidome-Sogakofe-Accra road would finally be completed by the end of November, 2014, having failed previously to accomplish the project.

Immediately after that promise, many of the people who had gathered there started murmuring and gesticulating among themselves while others giggled with the expression, “Mahama again….more promises…the same old story everyday…” A representative of the Anlo Students’ Union, in an address, also expressed disappointment in President Mahama’s many unfulfilled promises.

The President had hurriedly visited the road in June this year after the chiefs and people of Adaklu and Ho Asogli had planned to embark on a massive demonstration to protest the delay in the completion of that stretch of road.

Parts of the Adaklu portion of the stretch saw an immediate grading and tarring within three hours after it was announced that the President was visiting the area.

The demonstration was subsequently called off to give the President time to fulfil his promise.

President Mahama, during that visit, also announced that the contractors—most of who had not been paid for over two years—had been paid and hence promised that the road would be completed by the end of October. However, speaking at Anloga, he promised another completion time after the contractors had vacated the site again.

Residents who use the road told DAILY GUIDE that immediately after the President’s visit in June the contractors abandoned the road leaving the about 21-kilometer uncompleted portion in a life-threatening state.

The demeanour of Mahama slightly changed but he quickly recovered his ground in what might have been termed a big blow to his public speaking prowess which he is known for.

That did not deter him from making many other promises any way.

He also promised that the Eastern Corridor road would be completed by 2016.

He also gave the assurance that his government was committed to harnessing many projects to transform the development of the Volta Region.

They included oil and gas exploration at Keta, financing of rice production, the expansion of salt production for export and aquaculture development.

He announced that Cocobod had set aside a total of $150 million for the construction of roads in all the six cocoa-growing regions.

More so, all feeder roads had been earmarked for construction and upgrading.

Togbi Sri III, Awoamefia of Anlo, reminded the President that “the fish landing site promised many years ago is still unfortunately on the drawing board.”

He pleaded for the establishment of a campus of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Southern Volta to cater for animal science and fisheries. He also requested for the extension of electricity to more communities in the traditional area to promote rural and cottage industries as well as the construction and upgrading of roads in the Kome and Shime areas.

Awadada Agbesi Awusi II of the Anlo Traditional Council appealed to President Mahama to make good the promise to build a modern harbour at Keta and also support the proposed Ketu Power project and fish farming industry.

The chief of Aburi in the Eastern Region, Otubour Djan Kwasi II, heavily descended on President Mahama to stop moving around the country with promises that he can’t fulfil.

“It’s a disgrace if he can just go around the country and make promises which he can’t fulfil, then it’s a shame,” the Aburi chief stated.

According to the chief, who is a friend of the President, Mr Mahama had made numerous promises to the people of Aburi and across the country but had failed to fulfil them since he assumed office, adding that such can’t help the progress of the country and cautioned him to stop.

“It is very sad and painful that the whole President would be moving round the country and giving promises which he can’t do; then it becomes an albatross around his ministers and appointees neck, who the people would start blaming for not doing anything for them,” the chief hinted.

Otubour Djan Kwesi made these remarks during this year’s Odwira festival in Aburi on Saturday.

The Aburi chief, who was angrily speaking, pointed directly to a Deputy Local Government Minister who represented the President, while the District Chief Executive and others were looking on. He further asked the minister to tell his boss (Mahama) to fulfil his promises or else Ghanaians would lose confidence in him.

He noted that the Aburi District Chief Executive, Afari Gyan, knew exactly what he was talking of which he (DCE) didn’t want to say.

The deputy minister hinted that the government was on course to fulfil its promises, adding that all promises the President had made would be delivered before his tenure expired.

He called on the chiefs to exercise patience and wait upon the government to deliver.