The Upper East Region branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says President John Mahama's failure to commission projects during his recent visit to the Region gives credence to earlier claims that government had neglected the Region.

At a press conference in Bolgatanga Thursday, the NPP said due to the non-existence of tangible projects put up by the NDC in the upper east region, the President  resorted to cutting sods for projects instead of commissioning them as he did in other regions during his “Accounting to the People” Tour.

In June this year, the Upper East region branch of the NPP held a press conference at which they claimed that President John Mahama had avoided coming to the upper east region with his “Accounting To The People” tour because he was embarrassed by his neglect of the region.

A week later, the Upper East branch of the NDC came in with a strong defense, naming several projects the party had undertaken in the region, indicating the President had only postponed his trip to the region.

When the president finally came to the region, this week  inspected a water project at Bawku and a cereal storage warehouse and Weisi.

He also commissioned a boys’ dormitory at the Fumbisis Senior High school and cut sods for the construction of the Bolgatanga – Bawku – Pulmakom road and the Chuchuliga – Sandema – Weisi – Nakong road and also for the construction of the new Tamne dam.

At a press conference on Thursday however, the upper east region branch of the NPP said the activities that president engaged in during his visit had vindicated the NPP.

Upper east regional chairman of the NPP, Mohammed Murtala Ibrahim addressed the press conference.

 Below is copy of the full statement

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE UPPER EAST REGIONAL SECRETARIAT OF THE NPP ON JULY 14, 2016

WE HAVE BEEN VINDICATED BY THE PRESIDENT’S SO CALLED “ACCOUNTING TO THE PEOPLE’S TOUR” IN THE REGION

It would be recalled that on the 10^th of June, 2016, the upper east regional secretariat of the NPP organized a press conference with the caption, “PRESIDENT JOHN MAHAMA SWERVES THE UPPER EAST REGION IN HIS SO CALLED “ACCOUNTING TO THE PEOPLE’S TOUR” IN ORDER TO AVOID EMBARRASEMENT”. In our statement, we strongly advanced arguments why we felt that the president had to, at the eleventh hour, hurriedly cancelled his planned visit to the region, which was at the time, scheduled for Monday, 6^th to the 8^th of June as part of his nationwide campaign tour disguised as “accounting to the people’s tour”. We, among other things, indicated that the president had to cancel his trip to the region because he had absolutely nothing to commission in the upper east region if he came; contrary to what we were told had happened during his tour in the other regions he had visited.

Indeed, when the president eventually came to the region this week, on July 11 and 12, his tour in the region has VINDICATED our position that his government has very little or nothing at all to account for as far as the upper east region is concerned. As evidenced by his visit, we the people of upper east region haven’t seen any major project under the 7 and half year rule of the NDC government. This development, we find very unfortunate and irreconcilable; considering the fact that this was the very region, where he stood and campaigned that we should vote for him in the run-up to the 2012 polls because he was one of us (northerner) and was therefore better positioned to prioritize our developmental needs. However, the narrative as far as his government’s performance in the region is concerned has been one broken promise or another. This is in spite of the fact that the region has consistently shown so much commitment to the electoral fortunes of the NDC during general elections.  Indeed, out of the 15 parliamentary seats in the region, the NDC alone occupies 13. This, notwithstanding, the region has been completely neglected and starved of the needed development by the very party that has enjoyed so much electoral support and loyalty from our people.

Facts are that, the NDC government has been most disappointing to the good people of this region. Hopelessness, joblessness, starvation, social and economic servitude have been our lot under the Presidency of our brother, John Mahama. It is pretty obvious from the foregoing that President Mahama and his NDC government have broken their social contract with the good people of the region which was “consummated” in the run-up to the 2012 general elections. The people of the Upper East Region do not only feel short-changed and disappointed, but also harbour general feeling of betrayal by their own. We wish to tell President Mahama that this region is not a “voter region”, where he and his NDC party only see our relevance during elections and when they get our votes, they abandon us as if we never mattered. Enough is enough. You cannot fool all of the people all the time.

It is therefore not surprising that the president’s recent visit to the region was greeted by a very poor reception. The reception was so bad that one could hardly notice or feel his presence in the region. It is also noteworthy that per the president’s itinerary which was widely publicised in the region, he was supposed to arrive in the region, specifically, the regional capital on Sunday 10^th July before proceeding to Zebilla the following day. However, he never showed up on the said day even though some of his supporters had gathered in Bolgatanga; ostensibly to welcome him. The president swerved everybody and rather came with a helicopter which landed in Zebilla on Monday at 2pm. It is our strong contention that the president’s action was deliberate because he wanted to avoid the harrowing experience of traveling on the Bolga-Bawku road, which also passes through Zebilla having made countless promises to fix that particular road but failed.

This Bolga-Bawku road is undoubtedly, the most important road in the region because it connects the two major commercial cities in the region. President Mahama has consistently promised to fix the road but to no avail. In fact, these were the exact words of President John Mahama in 2014 when he visited Bawku, “I want to promise you that the next time I come to Bawku, the road linking Bolga and Bawku will not be an issue”. However, the road, as we speak, has only moved from bad to worse much to the chagrin of our people. This is one of the reasons why the president has been reluctant in visiting the upper east region and particularly, the Bawku zone.

As you would expect, the president has again, in his recent visit, repeated his usual promise to ensure that the Bolga-Bawku is fixed as soon as practicable when he characteristically, cut-sod for the construction of that road. These were his exact words when he visited the chief’s palace (Bawku Naba), “Even when I’m sleeping, I can recite the Bolga-Bawku road because the Bawku Naba reminded me of the road. This road is very important to the people of upper east region considering the fact that it links 9 constituencies and 6 districts. That is why I’m here today to fulfil my promise. Funding is available and if there is delay in the project, it should be the fault of the contractor and not funding”. We wish to ask the president the following relevant questions: 

1. If he knew the road was that important to the good people of the upper east region, why did he do NOTHING about it all this while (for over 7 and half years)? Why has he consistently failed to honour his promise to fix the road? What has changed now? Is it because we are heading for another elections?

 

1. Again, the president claims that construction works on the road will be completed in 29 months (that is 2 and half years); meaning, the road is expected to be commissioned at the end of 2018. Why would a president who publicly touts the importance of this road to the people tell them to wait for as long as 29 months before it is fixed? How would he reconcile the two contrasting positions?

 

1. Why has the president FAILED to disclose the cost of the project to the Ghanaian taxpayer and how same would be funded?

Aside the issue of the Bolga-Bawku road, mention can also be made of the fact that the president only came to the region to do sod-cutting ahead of the November 7 elections so he could win votes from the people having neglected them in the NDC’s 7 and half year rule. The president, for instance, cut sod for the construction of the Tamme Dam in the Garu- Tempane District, the president cut sod for the construction of the chuchuliga-Wiese road in Builsa North District even though he had indicated in his last state of the nation’s address that this particular road was nearing completion. He of course cut sod for the construction of the Bolga-Bawku road among several others.

It is also instructive to note that the president was embarrassed by some students at the second cycle and training institutions in the region when he attempted to address them at Bawku. They basically hooted at him to register their OUTRAGE at some of his actions and inactions deemed counterproductive. Whereas the SHS students were heard shouting for their feeding grants which has not been paid for the past one year, the trainees were also making a strong case for the reinstatement of their allowance. It is regrettable to observe that the NDC government could not complete even a single one of the so called 200 day SHS in the upper east region. How pathetic!

We again wish to find out from our brother (the president) why he has failed to honour any of his major campaign promises to the good people of the upper east region.  Mr. President, where is our new regional hospital? Where is the Bolgatanga sports complex? Where is the Bolga polyclinic? Where is the Zuarungu meat factory? Where is the Bolgatanga airstrip? Where is the Pwalugu tomato factory? Where is the Zebilla market? In fact, the questions are endless …

To conclude, it is overwhelmingly obvious that the NDC government has taken the good people of the upper east region for granted. Our brother, the president has been most disappointing to say the least. We are therefore confident that the people of the upper east region would not entertain the NDC’s populist tactics any longer as we gear up for the November polls. In fact, now, more than ever, the clamour for a REGIME CHANGE in the upper east region is loud and clear. Eight years of NDC is more than enough. Our people need salvation and this, they can only find in the NPP based on our credibility and proven track record for God and country. 

Now that we are convinced that President Mahama is not only incompetent but insensitive, we have no choice than to go for the man Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo who is ready for the job. Nana is competent, decisive, bold, tried and tested and proven to be sincere and honest.

Equally, Nana has an economic wizard in a person of Alhaji Dr. Mahamud Bawumya to partner him to manage the economy competently and prudently. We therefore appeal to you to vote massively for Nana Addo Danquah and his parliamentary candidates to form a government in 2017. This is the surest way to bring dignity to the presidency, restore hope in Ghanaians, create jobs for the youth, build a healthy economy and eventually make Ghana to work again.

 I am for Nana and I know you are also for Nana and Nana would would for us all.

Thank you.

…..Signed…….

MOHAMMED MURTALA IBRAHIM

REGIONAL CHAIRMAN, UE/R

(0208039285/0243145922)