Indian High Commissioner pays courtesy call on Ya-Na

Mr Sugandh Rajaram, High Commissioner of India to Ghana, has paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon at his palace in Yendi as part of his week-long official visit to the Northern Region.

The courtesy call on the Ya-Na was to allow the High Commissioner to explore the possibilities to support interested Indian businesses for investment into the region as well as brief the Dagbon King on developments in India and India-Ghana bilateral relations.

The High Commissioner was accompanied by Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama, Member of Parliament for Yendi.

Mr Rajaram spoke about Indian businesses in the region and the Indian Government's support for some of the government's projects in the region, including the Yendi Water project.

He responded to concerns of delay in the construction of the Yendi Water project and gave assurance that he would ensure the timely completion of the project to ease the water crisis.

He emphasised that "My office will ensure all stakeholders in the project will consciously work towards meeting the completion deadline."

The Yendi Water project, initiated by President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2019 to solve the perennial water crisis in the area, is being financed by a 30-million dollar facility from the Exim Bank of India and an Indian Engineering company is the contractor on the project.

However, the project is yet to be completed and residents continue to grapple with acute water shortage.

In his comment on the water situation at Yendi, Ya-Na Abukari (II), Overlord of Dagbon urged the government to expedite action on the Yendi Water project to complete it on time to address the water crisis in the area.

He said the current water crisis in the area had a diverse impact on the socio-economic activities of the people of Yendi and, therefore, needed to be completed on time to solve the water crisis and boost socio-economic activities in the area.

He called for collaboration between his Palace and the Indian High Commission, saying "We can also create a new friendship in the areas of education and cultural programmes.

The hard-working youth of Yendi are mostly engaged in farming, smocks weaving, meat selling and need partnership in technology and skills training."

Alhaji Aliu Mahama gave assurance of the government's commitment to fulfilling its promise to the people of Yendi by providing potable water for them.

He said as part of measures to address the water crisis in the area, he was drilling 100 boreholes in the area out of which 30 had been completed.

He urged the contractors on the Yendi Water project to work assiduously to ensure its early completion.