Advertisement

Ensure free, fair elections in December - President Mahama

Ensure free, fair elections in December - President Mahama

President John Mahama last Saturday joined the chiefs and the people of Lower Dixcove in the Ahanta West District in the Western Region to celebrate this year’s Kundum Festival, during which he urged all stakeholders to ensure that the December 7 elections were conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Addressing hundreds of people who defied the late afternoon rains to attend a durbar to climax the celebration, the President said: “On December 7, we shall all go to the polls and cast our ballots in peace.”

He further admonished stakeholders to “let the elections be free, fair and transparent and let the will of the Ghanaian people be expressed”. 

Festival

This year’s festival, which coincided with the Silver Jubilee of Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, the Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove, was on the theme: “Celebrating 25 years of sustainable development through peaceful and selfless traditional leadership.”

The President said the government had done a lot in the Western Region. 

“But you will agree with me that there is still much work to be done. I wish to also assure the people that the contribution of the Western Region to the economic growth of the country is very much appreciated,” he said.

The government, he said, would continue to reciprocate the region’s contribution by ensuring that the area was developed to facilitate socio-economic growth to improve on the living conditions of the people. 

Infrastructure

President Mahama gave an assurance that the government would continue with its infrastructural development in the region and indicated that work on the new community day schools currently under construction in the area would soon be completed to create space and a perfect ambiance for effective teaching and learning.

“We have promised to build 200 day senior high schools in order to increase space in secondary education for our young people and it is my belief that before I leave office, God willing by 2021, we would have completed all the 200 schools I promised,” he said.

The President also assured the people that the road from Busua to Dixcove and Sankro to Cape Three Points which have the potential to boost tourism would be constructed.

He said the stretch from Princess Town linking the Elubo-Takoradi highway at Abura was high on the agenda and that a contractor had been assigned to commence work.

President Mahama said the government was also considering the construction of a sea defence wall to protect the coastline in Dixcove.

Agriculture

In the area of agriculture, he said the government would continue to support cocoa farmers in the provision of inputs, an enhanced producer price and timely payment of bonuses to encourage and enhance the lives of farmers.

He said the fisheries sector was also enjoying such assistance through the distribution of outboard motors and the availability of premix to the fishermen.

Energy 

The President said natural gas from the Jubilee, TEN and Sankofa fields would guarantee energy security for the country.

“We expect that these three fields, when completed, will supply more than 300 million standard cubic feet of gas, which will be the base load for power supply for Ghana’s energy security,” he said.

President Mahama expressed happiness that the growing oil and gas sector had provided jobs for many Ghanaians, stating: “It is estimated that since the beginning of oil and gas production in the country, about $1bn has gone as contract to local companies. And I was happy to see that many of the engineers working on the FPSOs are young Ghanaians.”

He said such accomplishments were but a few of the many opportunities opening up in the sector. 

“But in order that we take advantage of these opportunities in the oil and gas sector, we have to acquire skills in readiness for the increasing demand for human resource,” he added. 

The President stated that “the Takoradi Polytechnic and Kikam Technical Institute have been equipped to provide skills for our young people”.

Commendation

For his part, Nana Agyemang, who is also the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, commended President Mahama and called on the government to ensure the continued development of the region.

 

Connect With Us : 0242202447 | 0551484843 | 0266361755 | 059 199 7513 |