Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has promised that the Wa-Kumasi highway will significantly improve before the December 2024 general election.

He said he had been in talks with the Minister of Roads and Highways about that road for improvement by tarring it and asphalting it.

“Before the end of this year, fingers crossed, the Sunyani (Kumasi) all the way to Wa, the road, we are going to see some major improvement in this major road. … and I want to see a dramatic improvement. Not only just coal tar, I want to see asphalt all the way,” Dr Bawumia stated.

The Vice President promised this in Wa when he met with the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs as part of his campaign tour of the Upper West Region.

That followed a request by the President of the Upper West Regional House Chief, Naa Dikomwine Domalae, to Dr Bawumia to consider rehabilitating the Wa-Bamboi-Kumasi highway, which was in a deplorable state.

Naa Domalae, who is also the Paramount Chief of Daffiama Traditional Area, said the rehabilitation of that stretch of road would facilitate the movement of humans and goods and services to and fro the region thereby enhancing commerce in the region.

Emphasising his resolve to get that road constructed, the Vice President assured the gathering of revered chiefs and queen mothers that he was expecting the road to be done not after the 2024 general election, but before the election.

“I do not want to say, vote for me and I will make it happen. I want it to be done so that you will see that it is done before we even get to the election. So, we are going to do it,” the NPP flagbearer stressed.

The Chief also appealed to Dr Bawumia to facilitate the construction of other major roads in the region, including the Sabuli-Hain-Tumu and the Kajekperi-Tumu roads, which the Vice President assured of considering and mentioned the Tumu-Chuchulga road as another important stretch that needed to be worked on.

“So, there are quite a few roads, even though we have done some roads, there are some critical roads that we need to get done in the region,” Dr Bawumia indicated.

He observed that the current NPP-led government had executed and completed 531 projects in the region so far and that he had a lot of ideas to develop the region further if he is elected the President in the December 7, 2024, general elections.

One such intervention he mentioned included the development of the Kambaa Irrigation project in the Nandom Municipality.

The leader of the NPP, therefore, appealed to the Chiefs for their support and prayers through his journey to the Jubliee House to enable him to implement his ideas for the betterment of the people.

Naa Alhaji Seidu Tungbani Salimbile II, the Paramount Chief of the Dorimon Traditional Area, appealed to the two leading presidential candidates to avoid politics of insults to sustain the country’s peace and unity.

He said both Dr Bawumia, flagbearer of the NPP and former president John Mahama of the NDC were brothers from the north and stressed the importance of focusing on issues-based campaigns.

In an earlier meeting with the Christian clergy, Dan Botwe, the Senior Campaign Aide to Dr Bawumia, observed that the counsel of the clergy was necessary for the people to make an informed choice in the upcoming election for the best leader to win.

He, however, said Dr Bawumia had given out himself for God to use as an instrument for the transformation and development of the people and should be supported as the best option to lead Ghana.

The General Overseer of the Christ Frontiers Mission in Wa, Apostle George Apasera, appealed to Dr Bawumia to decouple the National Cathedral project from politics and to let the Christian community lead in its construction since it would be of great benefit to them and the country.

The Vice president also interacted with traders at the Wa central market as well as the youth in Wa during the tour.