The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stressed that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) has a more comprehensive blueprint for the Keta Port.

He assured that the next NDC government under John Dramani Mahama guided by the party’s 2024 manifesto would deliver the port to inure to the benefit of the people of the Volta, Oti, and Northern Regions.

He was speaking at the media engagement at the NDC’s Volta Regional office in Ho.

“What I like about our vision is that ours is bigger. We are going to look at how the port is going to serve Volta and the entire Oti Region and even all the way to the northern belt which you know is landlocked.

“Instead of going through Tema and then Kumasi through Techiman, it is far far shorter if you use the new port in the Volta Region in Keta. Within a few hours you can serve the people of the northern part of our country, so we have a more comprehensive blueprint for creating a new port or a new harbour for our people”, he said.

A significant promise Mr. Ablakwa mentioned was the development of the Ho airport into an aviation training hub to serve the West African Sub-region.

He added that the NDC government would undertake a non-aeronautical estate business development of the airport in the Region in partnership with the private sector under an Airport City Precinct Development Scheme.

Mr. Ablakwa outlined the establishment of a regional digital Centre in the Colta Region modeled after the Accra Digital Center.

He promised the region would witness a major boost in agriculture where farmer service centers would be established in all districts coupled with the setting up of an Agro-Industrial Zone, and Cocoa processing plant.

Mr. Ablakwa also listed the dredging of the Volta Lake and other river bodies to prevent future flooding and also enhance the fishing industry adding victims of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams spillages would be compensated.

He also said that the NDC aims to establish a quaternary hospital in the Volta region geared towards promoting medical tourism while expanding Ho Teaching to provide special services.

He mentioned that the NDC would continue the development of the University of Health and Allied
Sciences by establishing additional campuses in Keta and Battor, while constructing a Zonal Public Laboratory in the Volta Region and upgrade the four existing zonal laboratories.

“Facilitate the construction of trauma centers, clinics, rest stops, and other social amenities along the Accra – Aflao and Tema - Afienya - Ho corridors”, he added.

Mr. Ablakwa also said that the NDC manifesto contained the introduction of specialized Artificial Intelligence labs in selected secondary schools across the country with the Volta Region inclusive.

Under road infrastructure, Mr Ablakwa outlined the completion of the Eastern Corridor Road and construction of an inter-regional road from Keta - Denu - Ho- Have - Kpando - Worawora, and ending at Dambai.

He said that the Asikuma - Anum - Dzemeni roads would be constructed as contained in the manifesto, while feasibility studies would be conducted for the construction of bypasses at Hohoe and Kpando to encourage transit trade.

He further indicated that the NDC government would “facilitate investments by the Minerals Commission in natural salt production at Keta to expand capacity and also find markets for the product in Nigeria and other countries.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, these among others are the significantly crucial projects captured in the NDC Manifesto meant for the people of the Volta Region. These can only materialize when we all come out in our numbers and vote massively for H.E. John Mahama and all NDC Parliamentary Candidates”, he stressed.