President Akufo-Addo, has presented eight (8) vehicles to the Oti Regional Co-ordinating Council, to help facilitate the smooth take-off of the newly created region.

The vehicles, which include 3 Nissan Patrol SUVs, and five pickup vehicles, were presented to the Oti Regional Minister, Kwasi Owusu Yeboah.

Speaking at a durbar of Chiefs at Dambai, capital of the Oti Region, on Wednesday, May 15, President Akufo-Addo noted that the pledge he made in the run-up to the 2016 elections to create the Oti Region “was not to win votes from you, but I was convinced that, with the Oti Region, development would be accelerated than before.” 

Having earlier inspected the site for the construction of the administration block for the Oti Region, President Akufo-Addo noted that, already, the head of the Local Government Service, Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, has selected the staff to work at the Oti regional coordinating council. 

“So far, the Regional Co-orinating Director, Regional Economic Planning Officer, Regional Agricultural Director, Regional Fire Commander, Regional Electoral Officer, Regional Human Resource Manager, Regional Internal Auditor, Regional Information Officer, Regional Commission on Culture Officer, Regional Land Use and Spatial Planning Officer, are all here at Dambai and have started work,” the President added.

To the pioneer local government staff, he urged them “to work hard and to begin on a sound footnote, so that everybody will know that they came to do their best for the Oti Region. I will pay particular attention for the work they will be doing in Oti.”

He added that “we have a development plan for all the six regions, and we are going to follow it exactly for Oti Region as well. I will ensure that there is an equitable distribution of infrastructural facilities in all parts of Oti Region.”

Touching on matters of interest to the Oti Region and to the Paramount Chief of the Krachi Traditional Area, Nana Mprah Besemuna III, the President noted a Dutch company called FDN Group has made a proposal to the Roads and Highways Ministry for the construction of a bridge over the Oti River.

“The pre-feasibility studies have been completed, the financial terms are being examined today at the Ministry of Finance, and the Roads Minister is waiting for ‘no objection letter’ from Finance before they can negotiate the construction agreement, which will be brought to Cabinet and then to Parliament for approval,” he stated.

Additionally, President Akufo-Addo stated that “should all these processes go according to plan, by the 4th quarter of this year, construction of the bridge over Oti River would have begun.”

At the same time, the President indicated that the construction of the road network in Oti Region will also begin soon, with the Jasikan to Dodo Pepesu road network set to commence in July this year.

“Dambai town roads, together with the roads in Krachi, are on the programme of the Minister. Your roads are dear to my heart, and I am working on them. Now, you have your own region, and we are determined to ensure that your developmental needs are accelerated,” President Akufo-Addo noted. 

Earlier in the day, President Akufo-Addo President Akufo-Addo also inspected the 50 kilometre Nkwanta to Dambai Road, which is being constructed to City Construction Ghana Limited.