President Akufo-Addo has assured the chiefs and people of Kenyasi of completing the construction of the Kenyasi - Hwidiem road in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo region.

The dusty 6km road and other town roads in the mining community were abandoned by the contractor, Kofi Job construction after the last general elections.

Chiefs in the area had earlier warned they may not be able to restrain the youth from demonstrating over the stalled project which has led to the loss of lives and affected the livelihoods of people as businesses continue to fold up.

Responding to the concerns of the chiefs of both Kenyasi number 1 and 2 on the first day of a two-day working visit to the Ahafo Region, the President said the road would be completed before he leaves office.

"The contractor will soon return to the site. And when there are gaps in the work, come to me directly. I'm going to personally follow the resumption and completion of these all-important roads", he told the chiefs, at separate durbars in his honour on Thursday, August 12, 2021.

Nana Kofi Abiri, Chief of Kenyasi Number 1 said many of their youths continue to die due to illegal mining, therefore appealed to the President to help them acquire a concession for the youth to lawfully engage in small-scale mining.

This, he believes will end the tension between the youth and the mining company, Newmont Ghana.

Earlier, chiefs of Yamfo and Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North district, and Bechem in the Tano South district held durbars in honor of the President with a list of requests to better the lives of their people.

Chief of Yamfo and President of the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Ansah Adu Baah II averred that Ghanaians should be thankful for the President's decisive stand in the fight against the covid-19 pandemic.

"We should complement your effort by also adhering to all the safety protocols", he said.

He also said Newmont Ghana will soon start its operations in the district, and therefore there is the need for increased security to contain the influx of people.

He further appealed to the President to upgrade the educational, health, and security infrastructure of the town to meet the growing demands of residents.

The President said the Police service is recruiting 4,000 personnel and guaranteed the chiefs that more police presence will come to the soon-to-be major mining community to provide security for lives and properties.

The President added that a new source of funding for roads has been secured, hence, roads, including town roads in Bechem and others, would be done as part of the 2nd year of roads.

He also assured the chiefs of the resumption of work on the Bechem Techimantia road as a site camp erected by the contractor indicates and believes it would be completed within his second term of office.

At Duayaw Nkwanta, the President cut sod to inaugurate an administration office complex for the Presbyterian Midwifery Training College and assured jubilant students of a bus to facilitate their training movement. 

President Nana Akufo-Addo also inaugurated a ¢2.7m community water supply system serving a population of over 8,000 in Brosankro in the Tano South Municipality.

He also inspected an ongoing ultra-modern complex being constructed by the Minerals Commission at Kenyasi.

The Ahafo Region, according to the President, has proven to be a stronghold of the NPP, winning 4 out of the 6 constituencies.

He, however, is confident that with hard work from his government, the remaining two, Asutifi South and Asunafo South, would be wrestled from the opposition NDC in the 2024 general elections.

He thanked the chiefs and people for their continued support for his party and government.

The final day of the President's tour will see him pay courtesy calls to the chiefs of Hwidiem and Goaso, as well as inspect ongoing road projects and the construction of the Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council's office complex.