All major development projects in Banda have been done by the NPP, says Omanhene
Nana Sekyemme Sinapem II further said that the trend of the NPP bringing development projects to Banda has continued under Akufo-Addo
The Omanhene of Banda Traditional Council, Nana Sekyemme Sinapem II, has applauded the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for consistently supporting the people of Banda through major projects executed by NPP administrations.
The constituency of Banda, in the Bono Region, has since its creation in 2012 consistently voted for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, welcoming Dr Bawumia to the constituency on Sunday (13 October) on behalf of the traditional council, the Omanhene praised the NPP governments of Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for giving the constituency all of its major projects.
“Some time back we requested the realisation of the Bui power project, which Kwame Nkrumah planned to do but could not do because he was overthrown,” the Omanhene said. “We pursued it through the then government but it did not happen despite us chasing it for some time.
“In fact, one of the leaders then, a deputy minister of agric, even told us he had brought a new breed of cassava plant, so we should rather plant the cassava, which he said was better than pursuing the Bui Dam,” the chief recalled.
“Fortunately President Kufuor came and we told him about it and it materialised. So we had the Bui Dam project right here by the NPP, under the government of Kufuor, which opened up this place.
“Our roads were also very bad and Kufuor said, ‘No, these roads need improvement.’ The first tarred road here in Banda was done by the NPP government of Kufuor. Again, the same NPP government under Kufuor gave us massive extension of electricity,” the Banda Omanhene added.
Nana Sekyemme Sinapem noted moreover that the trend of the NPP bringing development projects to Banda has continued under the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo since 2017.
“Again, under the government of Nana Akufo-Addo, Bui Dam has seen extension, with the addition of solar power.”
New agri-processing
“Through our brother Joe Dankwa [the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for Banda], another stretch of road has been done here by the NPP,” the chief continued. “So, both of the tarred roads we have here were done by the NPP.
“Here, our farmers are mostly cashew farmers and, for factories, we have a cashew processing factory as well as a sugarcane factory. All these were done by the NPP.”
The Omanhene expressed the traditional council’s further commendation for the NPP, highlighting roads which are being worked on as well as other projects by the Akufo-Addo government, such as eight durbar grounds and an AstroTurf pitch, built under the Middle Belt Development Authority.
Appealing to Dr Bawumia to ensure that ongoing projects are completed, Nana Sekyemme Sinapem assured him of the constituents’ support and their determination to elect Joe Dankwa, whom he described as “development-oriented”, to Parliament.
The chiefs also appealed to Dr Bawumia to consider Banda for one of the Agenda 111 hospital projects because of the inconvenience of local people having to travel from Banda to Nsokwa to get access to improved health care.
“If we are here today, we are here wholeheartedly to support you so that our community will see more development,” the Omanhene said.
Dr Bawumia assured the Omanhene of his commitment to pursuing the NPP tradition of working as a government for all, and said that the concerns about a hospital and other matters raised by Nana Sekyemme Sinapem will also be addressed.
Dr Bawumia expressed his gratitude to members of Banda Traditional Council for their encouragement, and reassured them further that he will not disappoint as president, because he must remain accountable to the people in order to seek their mandate again.
Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra
From: Asaase Radio
