The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has reaffirmed Government’s determination to fulfil the campaign pledge of facilitating year round farming in the northern regions through the construction of dams under the ‘One Village One Dam’ programme.
According to Vice President Bawumia, government will complete ongoing construction works for these dams, to ensure that farmers have adequate water to farm and take care of their livestock.
Speaking at the launch of activities marking the 20th Anniversary of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON), the student wing of the New Patriotic Party, in Accra on Monday, 29th July 2019, Vice President Bawumia dismissed attempts by the opposition NDC to cast doubt about on ongoing construction of the dams, in a failed attempt to equalise for their infamous ‘Guinea Fowls to Burkina Faso’ saga.
“We have ‘One Village One Dam’ that is ongoing; very important dams that are being built. But they (NDC) go and take pictures of uncompleted dams and then say ‘this is what the NPP is doing’. But we are going to complete all of these dams.
“Our dams are not like Guinea Fowls that will fly to Burkina Faso. The dams are going to be here in Ghana. Even if a few are not well done, we will make sure they are properly done. They will not fly to Burkina Faso.”
Vice President Bawumia reiterated the Akufo-Addo government’s determination to formalise the Ghanaian economy and improve lives through the implementation of impactful policies and programmes such as the issuance of a National ID, implementation of a Digital Property Addressing system, Digital Drivers licenses and vehicle registration, and the world class Mobile money payments interoperability.
“We also have the world’s largest medical drone delivery service in Ghana, delivering essential blood and medical supplies to remote and hard to reach areas.”
Other interventions, Vice President Bawumia continued, include an E-case tracking system, implementation of a paperless port system, online applications for passport acquisition, and the extension of mobile telephony sites for broadband access to 400 communities in the last two and a half years, compared to the 78 the NDC managed to fix in eight (8) years.
“Although as humans as we will continuously have needs and thus keep expressing concerns of greater desires and pains, what is refreshing is that today we have restored teacher trainee allowances that was cancelled; restored nursing trainee allowances that was cancelled; introduced nationwide Free SHS that never existed; subsidized fertilizer programme for Food Crop farmers under Planting for Food and Jobs; implemented Nation Builders Corps for 100,000 Graduates that never existed; reduced or abolished 17 taxes,; reduced Import Duty by 50%.
“As well, we have cumulatively reduced electricity tariffs by 6.3% for residential and 18.8% for non-residential consumers and given direct jobs to 350,000 people in the public sector. We have increased the share of DACF for persons with disabilities by 50%; increased Capitation grant to GHC10.00; established a Zongo Development Fund, and achieved macroeconomic stability.”
Vice President Bawumia commended the founders and leaders of TESCON for the crucial role they continue to play in the NPP’s electoral fortunes, and urged them to work harder as the party prepares for the 2020 elections.
Other speakers at the launch included Francis Asenso Boakye, Founding President of TESCON; Hon Freddie Blay, National Chairman of the NPP; Sammi Awuku, National Organiser; Henry Nana Boakye, National Youth Organiser; Hon Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and MP for Ablekuma West; Hon Lydia Seyram Alhassan, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon; and Amma Frimpomaa Dwumoh, MD, SIC Life Savings & Loans.
