President John Dramani Mahama has expressed profound gratitude to the people of the Upper West region for their unwavering support in the 2024 general elections during his Thank You Tour of the region.
Drawing inspiration from biblical references to thanksgiving, President Mahama likened his return to the region to that of the healed leper in the Gospel who came back to thank Jesus, emphasising that it is a moral and spiritual duty to show appreciation when favours are received.
“It is with a heart full of gratitude that I stand before you today in this noble land, this land of peace, pride, and perseverance. I bring you warm greetings from the entire leadership of the National Democratic Congress and my wife, Lordina Mahama. And I bring you the warm message of thank you, and I’ll say Yebaka Yebaka”.
HE President John Dramani Mahama
He acknowledged their loyalty and the overwhelming confidence they had shown in the vision and leadership of the NDC, particularly during the 2024 elections that led to a historic victory.
President Mahama expressed gratitude to the region for believing in the NDC, adding that their support was extraordinary. “You stood firm, you chose hope over despair, unity over division, and development over stagnation,” the President said.
Notably, the Upper West Region delivered a clean sweep for the NDC, handing the party all 11 parliamentary seats in the region—an unprecedented show of solidarity.
This victory, President Mahama noted, contributed significantly to the NDC’s overall parliamentary majority—183 seats, along with four independent MPs who align with the party’s values, giving the NDC a commanding two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
“The people of the Upper West Region have always stood on the right side of history,” he proclaimed, highlighting the region’s consistent role as a bastion of democratic values, good governance, and justice.
He paid glowing tribute to the region’s traditional leaders for their wise counsel and steady guidance, the youth for their energy and activism, and women for being the lifeblood of grassroots mobilization through door-to-door campaigns and community engagements.
President Mahama also lauded the party’s executives, polling agents, and foot soldiers whose efforts ensured victory at every level.
He further underscored the region’s contribution to Ghana’s human resource development, listing several prominent Upper West natives occupying key positions in his current administration.
These include the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, Minister for Labour, Jobs, and Employment, Hon. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo; and Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing.
The list also comprises of the National Security Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner of Police Osman Abdul Razak; Director-General of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono; CEO of the Ghana Highway Authority, Surveyor Mallam Issah Ishak; and Mr. Seidu Yonye, CEO of Produce Buying Company Ltd.
Others mentioned include Shamima Muslim, Deputy Government Spokesperson; Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority; Adam Sulley, Deputy Director-General of SSNIT; and Mr. Kale Caesar Esq, Managing Director of Metro Mass Transit.
There are also Ms. Samira Abdul-Azeez, Deputy CEO of the Ghana Enterprise Agency; Abdulai Batiah Santi, Deputy CEO of the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation; and Issahaku Nuhu Putiaha, Deputy CEO of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency.
“These are distinguished sons and daughters of this region who are helping me to transform our nation and fulfill the reset agenda we promised you”.
HE President John Dramani Mahama
Commitment to Development
Moving beyond expressions of gratitude, President Mahama used the occasion to assure the people that their overwhelming support would be met with tangible development outcomes.
He explained that elections mark a beginning, not an end, and reiterated his government’s resolve to deliver on the transformative promises outlined in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto.
“Your vote has a purpose, and that purpose is to bring development to the region. We are determined under the guidance of the NDC’s twenty twenty four manifesto to bring transformational change to every corner of Ghana.
“And especially to regions like the Upper West Region that have long been underdeveloped, neglected despite their huge potential.”
HE President John Dramani Mahama
Since assuming office, he said, the government’s immediate focus had been stabilizing the economy, a task that is beginning to bear fruit.
“Our efforts have started yielding results. There is a marked improvement in the performance of the Ghana cedi, and we are seeing a gradual reduction in the prices of goods and services”..
HE President John Dramani Mahama
He praised the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana for their strategic coordination in achieving this turnaround and hinted that the mid-year budget review in August would contain more good news for Ghanaians.
The President announced that the cabinet was on the verge of approving the first batch of priority infrastructure projects under the ambitious “Big Push” initiative, with a strong focus on roads.
Notably, he said GHS 14 billion had been allocated in the 2025 budget to finance these projects, including the dualization of major highways, such as the Accra-Kumasi, Accra-Takoradi, and Accra-Aflao roads.
According to him, his administration will also design a new expressway between Accra and Kumasi, which will reduce the travel time between the two largest cities in Ghana to about two and a half hours.
Key road projects to benefit the Upper West Region include the Wa-Movon-Katanga Trunk Road, Techiman-Wenchi-Bole-Wa-Hamile corridor, and resurfacing of sections of the Sola-Fufuso road.
Other roads in districts such as Wa East, Nadowli, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa, and Sissala East will also be upgraded.
“These roads will not only enhance trade and transport, but they will also stimulate cross-border business and revive economic activity. Equally, we’ll upgrade roads in the Wa East, Nadoli, Dafema, Busse, Issa, and Sisala East Districts to improve access to markets, schools, and health facilities”.
HE President John Dramani Mahama
To ensure prompt execution, he stated that contractors would receive 15% mobilisation funds and that payments for certified work would be processed within two weeks. “No contractor will have the excuse that he has not been paid,” he said emphatically.
Agriculture for Prosperity
On agriculture, President Mahama re-emphasised the centrality of the “Feed Ghana” program, under which the Upper West Region is expected to be a major beneficiary.
“We understand that farming is the lifeblood of this region,” he said. Plans include constructing and rehabilitating small- and medium-scale dams across Sissala, Lambussie, and Wa East, promoting dry-season farming through community irrigation schemes like the Kamba Dam, and improving access to subsidized inputs such as fertiliser and seeds.
He also pledged to complete long-abandoned Farmer Service Centres, including one in Gwolu he initiated in 2016. “We’re going to ensure that farming becomes a viable and profitable occupation, especially for young people,” he emphasised.
Educational Infrastructure
In education, the President acknowledged the stark inequalities that persist in rural areas like the Upper West. “I’ve seen schools where children still sit on the floor and where teachers lack basic resources,” he said, underscoring the need for targeted investment.
He announced a new directive from the cabinet mandating that 80% of District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocations go directly to the districts to finance critical local infrastructure, including furniture for schools, classrooms, and CHPS compounds.
He also reiterated the NDC’s commitment to completing abandoned E-blocks for secondary education and announced that admission fees for all first-year students have been absorbed by the government, with budgetary provisions already made.
Additionally, the government has commenced rolling out free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, covering them from their first year to graduation. “We must build an inclusive Ghana,” he said.
President Mahama concluded his address with a powerful call for collective responsibility and citizen engagement. “Your vote has a purpose, and that purpose is development. We are not here to rest. We are here to work,” he assured.
READ ALSO: Ghana’s Finance and Energy Ministries Unite to Rescue Power Sector
