Let our laws work to stop corruption’
The Vice-President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs (VRHC), Togbe Patamia Dzekley VII, has said the laws of the land must be implemented without compromise to stop corruption and the wanton looting of state resources by some greedy people in the society.
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He said that would enable Ghanaians to stay at home and build a vibrant economy and put up the suitable structures for generations yet unborn.
Togbe Dzekley, who is also the Paramount Chief of Battor, made the call in Ho yesterday when the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, paid a courtesy call on the VRHC in Ho, as part of the his ‘Building the Ghana We Want Together’ tour of the Volta Region.
The vice-president of the house also cautioned the various political parties against the use of indecent and inflammable language on their campaign platforms, saying that would not be in the national interest.
“Our leaders and aspiring leaders must respect themselves and avoid divisive messages for Ghana to move forward,” he maintained.
Togbe Dzekley also expressed misgivings about how the region’s roads had been left to deteriorate, saying it was not helping the developmental progress and welfare of the people.
Environment
The vice-president of the house touched on the environment and said the growing problem of illegal mining, known as galamsey, was creating a bleak future for the country.
Togbe Dzekle said with that trend, future generations would only become survivors and not inheritors.
“The youth are looking for the way out of the country because there is no good foundation for them to learn from and make a living, while some people are mismanaging national resources to fill their pockets,” the chief observed.
Togbe Dzekle insisted that political appointments must not be based on nepotism, but rather on the competence and honesty of the appointees.
Meanwhile, he said, traditional rulers must be given their due respect by the state, adding that their voices must be heard and upheld in local governance, in the broader national interest.
Grassroots party
For his part, Mr Mahama said the NDC was a grassroots party and would continue to solicit the views of the entire citizenry to enable them to implement policies that would satisfy their hearts’ desires when given the mandate to rule the country.
He said the country was now in a dire situation with the people looking up to the NDC for a change for the better.
“This is because the NDC was in power and Ghanaians know our capabilities,” the former President added.
He pledged that the NDC would first tackle the ailing economy and commit resources to security in the country to ensure businesses operated smoothly in safety, when given the nod again.
As part of creating a 24-hour economy, Mr Mahama said the NDC would put in place a reliable transportation system with decent roads to enhance the commuting of workers which would encourage more businesses to operate around the clock.
On corruption, the flag bearer promised the fight would start from the top to the bottom to make Ghana a safe destination for investments.
He said investments would also be based on the comparative advantage of every region, while avoiding the phenomenon of citing factories in every city.
Mr Mahama announced plans by the NDC to expand the structures at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region to facilitate more admissions, and support the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) in various ways to become a hub of medical tourism in West Africa.
He maintained that the Volta Region was dear to the heart of the NDC, adding that the party had brought the greatest development to the region in the past.
The NDC extended electricity and water supply systems, rehabilitated roads, expanded telecommunications in the Volta Region more than any government, Mr Mahama said.
Another priority area for the NDC in the region, Mr Mahama said, would be to put the Ho Airport into full operation.
“The Ho Airport is not a white elephant, but an appropriate facility to transform the fortunes of the Volta Region,” he added.
Mr Mahama later addressed a townhall meeting at the Ho Technical University.
On the previous day, the flag bearer of the NDC and his entourage met with various stakeholders of the party at Sogakope, took part in community engagement at Tegbi and Aflao, and inaugurated the Ketu North NDC office in Dzodze.