Brong Ahafo Region NDC descends heavily on Akufo-Addo

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Region has descended heavily on President Akufo-Addo on the construction of Nobeko-Sankore road.

At a press conference to address some comments made by President Akufo-Addo during his tour to the Region, the NDC's Regional Communications Officer, Charles Akorwuah who addressed the media claimed President Akufo-Addo told the region that the John Mahama led administration put it in its 'Green Book' that Nobeko-Sankore road was tarred but did not see it in reality.

They emphasized that "President Akufo-Addo on Saturday, 13th April, 2019 at Sankore, blatantly made a statement on this particular road which was seen as an allusion to cast a slur on the NDC and the Former President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.

They added that "For clarity, President Akufo-Addo said the NDC, in its Green Book, shows that this particular, NOBEKO-SANKORE Road has been tarred’’.

They, therefore, said the NDC never made such comment that this road was tarred during John Mahama's administration.

They opined that "For the records, the NDC never made any such comment, be it description or pictorial as having completed this road as erroneously claimed by the President. In fact, the Green Book, which the President quoted as his evidence, has absolutely nothing and no mention about that road".

They continued that "To verify this assertion, Page 106 of the Green Book mentioned roads that were being worked on and no mention was made of the Nobeko-Sankore Feeder Road as the President once again misled to make such falsehood".

They therefore described President Akufo-Addo's comment as 'lies' and called on him to apologize to the Region for misleading them.

"We the NDC see these statements as forlorn attempt by President Akufo-Addo to intentionally misinform the people of the region and as a responsible Party, we deem it right to expose his political gimmicks to bring sanity into our political landscape in the Region, as well ask the President to apologize profusely for his wanton lies", they charged.

They said ‘the Board will regulate the cashew industry to make sure farmers have good prices for their cashew produce' he stressed.

President Akufo-Addo then urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Export Promotion Agency to initiate policies in the areas of storage, transport and packaging of cashew to ensure that cashew farmers earn higher income, the President reiterated.

They, however, said that President Akufo-Addo has failed to honour his 2016 campaign to make cashew farmers feel better.

They revealed that "President Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 20th February, 2018, launched a 10 year Cashew Development Plan with the aim of diversifying Ghanaian Agriculture. At the launch at Wenchi, President Akufo-Addo said he was fulfilling his campaign pledge made on 19th March, 2016 at Suma Ahenkro in the Jaman North Constituency to make cashew famers earn higher incomes when the board is finally established by June 2018".

They continued that "He said ‘’the Board will regulate the cashew industry to make sure farmers have good prices for their cashew produce‘’ he stressed. President Akufo-Addo then urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Export Promotion Agency to initiate policies in the areas of storage, transport and packaging of cashew to ensure that cashew farmers earn higher income, the President reiterated".

According to the NDC, the price of cashew which was sold under John Mahama's administration at GHC760 per bag is now selling at the price of GHC250.

They continued by saying during John Mahama's administration fertilizers were given to cashew farmers free of charge but under Akufo-Addo's administration, it is being sold.

"Under President Akufo-Addo, who claimed to have the cashew farmers at heart, the cost of this same farm inputs continue to see astronomical hikes in petrol at GH¢24 and a gallon of weedicide at GH¢14.00. The sad aspect of it is that, the free fertilizers that were imported by President Mahama to be given to cashew farmers were suddenly sold to them at a whopping cost of GH¢80.00 – even though the fertilizers had the inscription ‘’NOT FOR SALE’’ boldly written on them", they emphasized.

They bemoaned "Surprisingly, amidst all the hikes in farm inputs under President Akufo-Addo, the disheartening agony of the cashew farmers after the establishment of this non functioning Cashew Board has had in its achievement, a huge reduction of the price of cashew from GH¢760.00 in 2016 to a meager GH¢250.00 in 2019, an unprecedented loss of GH¢510.00 per bag".

They continued "This massive drop in prices, which is seen as a loss of trust in and a betrayal by the president, has subjected the poor cashew farmers in perpetual distraught, collapsing of businesses, contracting of chronic diseases and life time debts of which, their children will have no option than to bear the consequences as a result of neglect and bad economic policies by President Akufo-Addo and his government".

They concluded "What one single thing can President Akufo-Addo point to after borrowing GH¢53 billion within two (2) years? NOTHING".

Read below the full statement

B/A NDC MEDIA ENCOUNTER TO SET THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ON CLAIMS
MADE BY PREZ AKUFO-ADDO ON HIS BRONG AHAFO REGIONAL TOUR

The Regional Communications Office, on behalf of the Regional Secretariat of the NDC, wishes to take this opportunity to welcome you all to its maiden Media Encounter to which you have been invited at a short notice, but notwithstanding, we hope this encounter will be a very successful one.

This Press Conference is focused on two (2) thematic areas: the first two (2) sessions seek to correct the orchestrated distortion of facts as put forth by the president and the second session to assess the plight of cashew farmers as well as the general overview of his tour.

FIRST SECTION (A, B & C)

(A) THE NOBEKO- SANKORE FEEDER ROADS

President Akufo-Addo on Saturday, 13th April, 2019 at Sankore, blatantly made a statement on this particular road which was seen as an allusion to cast a slur on the NDC and the Former President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.

For clarity, President Akufo-Addo said ‘’the NDC, in its Green Book, shows that this particular, NOBEKO-SANKORE Road has been tarred’’

"It must be stated that, the Nobeko-Sankore Feeder Road was given contract approval on 5th July, 2016 to MESSRS B.K Nsiah Company Limited with a contract sum of Twenty – Seven Million, Ninety Thousand, Six Hundred and Seven – Six Ghana Cedis and Twenty – Eight Ghana Pesewas (Gh27, 090, 676, 28)", he said.

For the records, the NDC never made any such comment, be it description or pictorial as having completed this road as erroneously claimed by the President. In fact, the Green Book, which the President quoted as his evidence, has absolutely nothing and no mention about that road.

To verify this assertion, Page 106 of the Green Book mentioned roads that were being worked on and no mention was made of the Nobeko-Sankore Feeder Road as the President once again misled to make such falsehood.

It must be stated that, the Nobeko-Sankore Feeder Road was given contract approval on 5th July, 2016 to MESSRS B.K Nsiah Company Limited with a contract sum of Twenty – Seven Million, Ninety Thousand, Six Hundred and Seven – Six Ghana Cedis and Twenty – Eight Ghana Pesewas (Gh27, 090, 676, 28).

In fact, the acceptance letter of this contract, dated 12th July, 2016, was signed by F.O.M Digber, the Director for the company and submitted to the Head Office of the Department of Feeder Roads in Accra quoting the reference number as DFR/ BAR/ RFE/ RT/ LOTI/2016 with copies to the Minister of Road and Highways , the Regional Minister, the Chief Executive of Public Procurement Authorities, the Regional Manager of Department of Feeder Roads, the Chairman of Central Tender Review Board, the Secretly for Entity Tender Committee of DFR and the Chief Accountant – DFR. This project was scheduled for completion in Eighteen (18) calendar months (that is in February 2018).

It will be recalled that the President made similar comments when he visited Busunya in Nkoranza North in 2018 about their roads, when the Road and Highways Minister, his own cousin, Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Atta, had earlier on in 2017, directed all contractors to halt their activities for road audit exercise.

We the NDC see these statements as forlorn attempt by President Akufo-Addo to intentionally misinform the people of the region and as a responsible Party, we deem it right to expose his political gimmicks to bring sanity into our political landscape in the Region, as well ask the President to apologize profusely for his wanton lies.

(B) THE PLIGHT OF CASHEW FARMERS UNDER AKUFO-ADDO

President Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 20th February, 2018, launched a 10 year Cashew Development Plan with the aim of diversifying Ghanaian Agriculture. At the launch at Wenchi, President Akufo-Addo said he was fulfilling his campaign pledge made on 19th March, 2016 at Suma Ahenkro in the Jaman North Constituency to make cashew famers earn higher incomes when the board is finally established by June
2018.

It must be noted that, under President Mahama, cashew farmers were given fertilizers for free, they were enjoying mass spraying exercise and the other farm inputs such as petrol, which were used to spray their farms cost GH¢16.00 and one gallon of weedicide was at GH¢8.00 in 2016.

With all these incentives provided by H.E John Dramani Mahama, the cashew farmers saw the highest price of cashew which was told at GH¢760.00 per bag.

Under President Akufo-Addo, who claimed to have the cashew farmers at heart, the cost of this same farm inputs continue to see astronomical hikes in petrol at GH¢24 and a gallon of weedicide at GH¢14.00. The sad aspect of it is that, the free fertilizers that were imported by President Mahama to be given to cashew farmers were suddenly sold to them at a whopping cost of GH¢80.00 – even though the fertilizers had the inscription ‘’NOT FOR SALE’’ boldly written on them.

Surprisingly, amidst all the hikes in farm inputs under President Akufo-Addo, the disheartening agony of the cashew farmers after the establishment of this non functioning Cashew Board has had in its achievement, a huge reduction of the price of cashew from GH¢760.00 in 2016 to a meager GH¢250.00 in 2019, an unprecedented loss of GH¢510.00 per bag.

This massive drop in prices, which is seen as a loss of trust in and a betrayal by the president, has subjected the poor cashew farmers in perpetual distraught, collapsing of businesses, contracting of chronic diseases and life time debts of which, their children will have no option than to bear the consequences as a result of neglect and bad economic policies by President Akufo-Addo and his government.

Under President Akufo-Addo, being a cashew farmer has been a crime and a substitute for poverty as the prices keep declining and we, therefore, beseech the President to be a little more considerate and sensitive to the plight of cashew farmers, because they are suffering and the economy in the region is collapsing, as
a result.

(C) ATTEMPT TO SOIL THE REPUTATION OF HON ERIC OPOKU AND HON COLLINS DAUDA

The NPP after taking over government in 2017, continue to consistently draw Hon Eric Opoku, MP for Asunafo South and Hon Collins Dauda, MP for Asutifi South into a deep mud to create public disaffection for them. Continuously, the NPP have been intensifying their arsenals to intimidate these two personalities in Ahafo region through their hoodlum groups sponsored by the NPP and their apparatchiks.

It could be remembered that on Sunday, 1st April, 2018, some NPP thugs attacked Hon Eric Opoku at his residence at Sankore and damaged his metal gates and windows, including three (3) vehicles; Toyota Land Cruiser – AE9449-14, Kia Spectra -AE 2667-13 and VW Passat- AE 3328-14.

The attack in the process injured three (3) NDC members by name Thomas Amponsah, Adams Seidu and Apostle Timothy.

On 25th September, 2018, all the major online news portals reported of ‘’Gun Wielding Policemen’’ storming the residence of Hon Collins Dauda to arrest him.

This unprofessional conduct by the police drew the furore of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Professor Mike Oquaye to condemn the raid on the floor of Parliament and indicated to the security agencies to be mindful of the fact that the police should not invade the premises of MPs in a manner that will raise unnecessary difficulties.

Strangely, these same NPP thugs never relented on their effort on attacking innocent NDC members in Ahafo and repeated their attacks on NDC members on Sunday, 14th April, 2019, a day after President Akufo-Addo had publicly announced at Sankore of his intention to disband all vigilante groups in Ghana.

The NDC see this heartless attack on their members as a planned agenda executed by the NPP and the President to put fear into the members of the NDC. We,therefore, call on all members of our society to speak against this ill as it continues to put our hard earned democracy into disrepute.

SECTION B

ASSESSMENT ON THE PRESIDENT’S REGIONAL TOUR

The NDC see the visit of President Akufo-Addo in the two (2) new regions- Ahafo and Bono East as a waste of National Resources and a clandestine approach to inaugurate President Mahama’s projects without according him the needed credit.

On Friday, 18th May 2018, President Akufo-Addo on his maiden official tour of the Region inaugurated a Divisional Police Station at the Techiman Municipal Assembly and a new block at Tuobodom for the Techiman North Assembly which were all built by President Mahama.

The Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, in March 2018, after his visit to the Tain District Hospital which was 90% complete under President Mahama, assured the region of completing it in August 2018. Having failed us of his promise, President Akufo-Addo responded to Citi Fm and Occupy Ghana in a letter giving further assurance of operationalising the hospital by December, 2018.

The NDC is utterly dismayed and thought that President Akufo-Addo’s regional tour would witness the historic inauguration of the Tain District Hospital.

Again, President Akufo-Addo on Sunday, 20th May, 2018, cut sod for the Sunyani West District Assembly Block and scheduled for its completion in six (6) calendar months. The project has since been left in the bush on the Odumasi-Kwatire Road to rot as its completion date has clearly elapsed.

The NPP, in their 2016 manifesto, in Chapter 14 pages 149 and 151 respectively, promised to build a New Police Hospital at Sunyani as well as building Fire Service Station in all the Districts without Fire Service Station but not a single block has been molded to give life to these sweet but deceitful promises to the people of the region as we speak.

Upon all these critical assessment as against the promises by President Akufo-Addo and the NPP to the Region, the B/A NDC will continue to urge the President and his 123 Ministers to deliver their promises to the Region and give credit to the NDC and President Mahama when inaugurating the projects initiated by the NDC, under President Mahama as President Akufo-Addo has no idea of initiating projects of his own.

The B/A NDC will admonish the people of the region to have faith in the NDC and support our agenda for victory 2020 as the NDC, through the vision of President Mahama’s four years in government, can point out to several infrastructural achievements in all spheres of our economy from CHPS compounds, massive road projects, expansion of water projects across the region, the establishment of 5 polyclinic, construction of the National Communication Authority block, unprecedented educational facilities, including the first public university in the region- University of Energy and Natural Resources as well as several Nursing Training Colleges and the completion of five (5) new Community Day Schools (1) Derma CDS in Tano South, 2) Krobo CDS in Techiman North, 3) Gyarko CDS in Techiman Municipal, 4) New Longoro CDS in Kintampo North and 5) Abease
CDS in Pru West) in the Region.

What one single thing can President Akufo-Addo point to after borrowing GH¢53 billion within two (2) years? NOTHING

Long Live Ghana

Long Live the NDC