During his campaign tour of the Upper West Region, former president and flagbearer of the NDC John Dramani Mahama was stopped by concerned residents of Halimboi in the Wa East constituency presenting their grievances to John Dramani Mahama.
The residents raised pressing concerns about the absence of electricity in their community, explaining how this has negatively impacted their daily lives and hindered local development.
The lack of electricity, they said, has made it difficult for residents to engage in various economic activities, particularly after sunset, and has limited access to modern amenities such as refrigeration and proper lighting for education.
As a rural community, Halimboi has long struggled with this issue, but they expressed hope that the former president would address their concerns.
‘In 2016 we promised to give you light with boreholes, [when we come to power] but unfortunately we lost the election and since then you still don’t have lights, don’t worry when we come we [are] starting the rural [electrification project] and since you have stopped me and put your case before me you vote for me on 7the December when NDC comes, I would make sure that Halimboi gets lights, I would come here and switch on the lights myself… Look for the [Umbrella] don’t look for number 8, just look for the [Umbrella] and then you thumbprint it.’’
John Dramani Mahama flagbearer of the NDC
Promises to Fix Deplorable Roads in Upper West Region
In addition to addressing the electrification issue, John Mahama also made strong commitments to improving the state of the region’s road infrastructure. Speaking at a community engagement, in Wenchau, he highlighted the deplorable state of several roads, specifically mentioning the Bamboi-Bole-Wa Road.
John Mahama was critical of the current administration for abandoning projects started under his leadership.
“In the history of the 4th Republic, I have never seen that road in such a deplorable state, I can assure you is going one of our number one to fix the Bamboi-Bole-Wa, Wenchi-Techiman road.’’
John Dramani Mahama flagbearer of the NDC
The former president’s commitment to road infrastructure improvement was met with applause from the community, who have long endured poor road conditions that affect transportation and limit economic activities, especially for farmers who need to transport their produce to markets.
Massive Welcome for Mahama in Upper West Region
John Mahama’s campaign tour of the Upper West Region was met with overwhelming enthusiasm as hundreds of supporters of the NDC gathered at Wa Airport to welcome him. Clad in party paraphernalia, supporters danced, sang, and blew vuvuzelas to show their excitement and support for his bid to return to power.
The mood was celebratory, but the supporters also expressed their desire for change, pointing out the economic hardships they have endured under the current NPP administration.
Many supporters spoke about the challenges posed by inflation, high taxes, and unemployment, with some describing the current situation as “economic servitude.”
After he arrived in Wa, John Mahama held a private meeting with the Overlord of the Waala Traditional Area before proceeding with his community engagements in the region.
Community Engagement in Wenchau: Calls for a New Constituency and Education Facilities
One of John Mahama’s major stops during his Upper West tour was in the Wenchau area, where he met with chiefs and residents. During this engagement, the secretary to the Wenchau Paramount Chief, Sumani Kassim, presented a series of requests on behalf of the chiefs and people of the area.
Among their concerns was the need for the creation of a new constituency to bring governance closer to the people. This request was based on the belief that a new constituency would ensure better representation in government and more direct access to resources and development projects.
Additionally, Sumani Kasim highlighted the need for better educational facilities, particularly a secondary school in Dorimon, so that local students would not have to travel to Wa for education.
‘The Dorimon road was on contract, if NDC was still in government, that road would have been completed long ago. 8 years on after we left office, the Dorimon Wa road is still [undone]. We were building several projects in the University of Development Studies 8 years [ago but all] those projects have come to a standstill.
“We were building an E-block in Wa west in Dorimon so that the young people of Dorimon, the students could get secondary education without having to go all the way to Wa, 8 years on that E-block has been abandoned.’’
John Dramani Mahama flagbearer of the NDC
John Mahama responded to these concerns by promising to address the issue of education access. He also assured the community that his government would review the boundaries of constituencies and work towards creating a new one where necessary.
In conclusion, John Dramani Mahama’s campaign tour of the Upper West Region highlighted his commitment to addressing key issues such as rural electrification, road infrastructure, and access to education.
His promises to the people of Halimboi, Wenchau, and were well-received, with residents expressing hope that he will deliver on these pledges if elected president once again.
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