President John Dramani Mahama has assured the Ahafo Region that his administration will accelerate development projects in the area as part of efforts to bridge the infrastructure gap between the newly created regions and the country’s older regions.
He said the government had deliberately prioritised the six newly created regions in its development programmes to enable them to catch up with regions that had benefited from longer-established infrastructure and public amenities.
President Mahama gave the assurance when a delegation of the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, led by its President, Nana Barima Twereku Ampem III, paid a courtesy call on him at the Presidency in Accra.
The delegation was at the Presidency to congratulate him on his victory in the 2024 general election and express appreciation for development initiatives being undertaken in the region.
President Mahama also thanked the chiefs and people of Ahafo for their support during the election, in which the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won five of the region’s six parliamentary seats.
“I should rather be thanking you for the support you gave me in 2024,” he said, recalling the warm reception he received during his campaign visits to traditional palaces across the region.
He assured the chiefs that Ahafo would receive its fair share of national development resources.
“We all know Ahafo is a very important region, but it is a new region, and so unlike the established regions, it lacks many amenities. That is why in this government’s programme, we are fast-tracking the development of the six newly created regions,” he said.
The President said several important roads in Ahafo had been incorporated into the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Development Programme.
He disclosed that preparations were underway for the second phase of the programme, with additional roads in the region included for consideration under Phase Two.
President Mahama also emphasised the importance of traditional authorities to national development and local governance.
He said the government could not govern the country effectively without the partnership of traditional rulers, describing them as an important component of Ghana’s decentralised governance structure.
He said recommendations arising from the constitutional review process could increase the role of chiefs in local government.
The President expressed the expectation that traditional rulers would participate more actively in District Assemblies than they had in the past.
On the economy, President Mahama said the government had initially focused on restoring macroeconomic stability following the economic difficulties it inherited.
He said measures had included reforms to government procedures and financial management laws aimed at improving discipline in the use of public resources.
“I am happy to acknowledge that those measures have yielded results. Today, the Ghanaian economy is stronger and more solid than it was before,” he said.
The President said the government’s focus was now shifting from economic stabilisation towards job creation, particularly for young people entering the labour market each year.
He said Ghana needed an economy capable of generating sustained growth and creating opportunities for young people.
For his part, Nana Barima Twereku Ampem III commended President Mahama for development projects initiated in the Ahafo Region.
He particularly welcomed the Accra-Kumasi Expressway Project, saying its completion would facilitate the movement of people and goods between Ahafo and Accra.
The Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs President also commended Newmont for its contributions to the region’s development through its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
