NPP cannot claim undue credit for John Mahama's projects in Savannah Region - NDC

NPP cannot claim undue credit for John Mahama's projects in Savannah Region - NDC

The Savannah Regional wing of the National Democratic Congress has called out the ruling New Patriotic Party and the Nana Addo - Bawumiah government for what they describe as the penchant to always claim undue credit for projects initiated and completed by former president John Dramani Mahama in the region.

In a news release copied to blogger, Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham, the Regional Communications Officer of the party, R.A Jalil said the recent attempt by the failed NPP led administration to accuse president John Dramani Mahama of turning the Damba festivals organized across the Savannah Region in recent times to political platforms falls flat in the face of logic.

According to him, projects such as the Mpaha Community Day S.H.S,Buipe Accident and Emergency Centre, Ntereso Water Plant, Buipe Savacem among others have been made possible through the effort of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.

He said John Dramani Mahama is a royal son of the Savannah Region with a very solid track record in the areas of health, education, infrastructural development, livelihood empowerment among others and reserve the right to any social event in Gonjaland.

Read full statement below:

For Immediate Release.

10th October, 2023.

RE-JOHN MAHAMA’s CONTINUES POLARIZATION OF GONJA CULTURE: A RECIPE FOR BAD PRECEDENCE AND A SIGN OF DESPERATION.

My attention has been drawn to a statement authored by the regional secretary of the NPP S/R, lamenting on why H.E John Dramani Mahama the incoming President of the Republic of Ghana honoured the invitations to the 2023 Damba festival organised across the entire Gonja kingdom.

The regional secretary of the NPP S/R accused the NDC of turning the events into political platforms. The secretary did not specify how the NDC politicized the festival, raising questions about the criticism.

Excitedly, the reignited show of support and love for Mahama in his home region has caused unease within the NPP, but the question remains: why does honoring festival invitations lead to discomfort for others?

Mr. Issah Mohammed should focus on reconciling with his chairman instead of making unnecessary and unfounded statements.

Regarding their "tramadol" induced statement:

Firstly, the NDC and John Mahama attended all major Damba invitations without violating any agreed terms with political parties. Vice President Bawumia was also invited to the Yagbon Damba but declined due to 10 questions posed by the NDC that required his response.

Furthermore, H.E. Mahama was invited as a respected Prince in Gonjaland, and during his speech, He addressed national issues as a statesman. Similarly, if Bawumia had attended, he wouldn't have sung his childhood methodist hymns but discussed national concerns. Why then criticize Mahama for speaking responsibly?

Without reservation, if any political party owes Gonjalanders an apology for disrespecting our chiefs, it is the NPP. They shamelessly branded calabashes used in the 2019 Damba at the Jakpa palace with NPP-branded apparel, a clear sign of disrespect and desperation. Have they issued an apology for this? It seems the NPP conveniently forgets their actions.

Let me dive into the raised issues! It's astonishing that despite increasing our public debt from 120 million to nearly 600 million in just seven years, the NPP has little to show for it. Instead, they seize every chance to claim credit for projects initiated by H.E John Mahama.

MPAHA MAHAMA E-BLOCK

The Mpaha community day SHS affectionately called Mahama E-block will continue to be one of Mahama’s legacies across the breadth and length of this country and the NPP cannot take that away from him. This facility after its completion was left at the mercy of the weather and a breeding habitat for grass cutters and squirrels. It took same Mahama to move to the premises of the school and called on government to operationalized the abandoned facility.

E-blocks were promised by John Mahama and delivered by him. Facts are sacred and sacrosanct!

BUIPE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY CENTER 

On 1st January 2017, President John Mahama cut sod for the construction of five new ultra-modern district hospitals and a Polyclinic in Ghana. The loan facility was secured on March, 2016. The sod-cutting ceremony took place at Weta in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region.

Report of the finance committee on the export credit facility agreement between the government of the Republic of Ghana and Raiffeiseeen Bank international AG of Austria for an amount of up to Seventy Seven Million, Nine hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Euros (77,935,000.00 Euros) for the design, construction, equipping and furnishing of five new district/ general hospital in Somanya, Buipe, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, Weta, Toulon and one Polyclinic at Bamboi.

The apostles of reading can’t just goggle for this simple information. Mr Issah should tell us when the NPP government secured a loan for those facilities.

NTERESO WATER PLANT CLAIMS:

Mr. Issah admitted in his statement that the facility was actually constructed by John Mahama but it took the irresponsible attitude  of the NPP when they allowed floods to destroy the facility. On 17th August 2015, H.E John Mahama commissioned 4 water plant communities which includes Ntereso, Nyawuripe, Fufulso Junction and Yapei-Yapala.

This plant pumps 100,000 gallons of water daily to the communities.

This was part of the Peri-urban rural and small town water and sanitation project being implemented across the country at a cost of 21 million euros. The propaganda to claim the Ntereso water project has fallen flat!

THE SO CALL MPAHA-SALAGA ROAD:

John Mahama in his statement chastised government for neglecting the Mpaha junction to Mpaha road and that of the Salaga-Makango road. These are roads that were under construction under his regime till Nana Addo took over power and abandoned them completely. The claim that NPP is tarring roads in the district capitals is a figment of his imagination, absolutely nothing is happening in the district capitals of Savannah. It’s a fallacious statement from the secretary.

I dare him to mention a single district that is seeing such tarring.

THE BUIPE SAVACEM

The Savannah cement enjoyed a number of tax waivers during the importation of some equipments of the factory under the leadership of the NDC and has every right to be part of the establishment of the factory. Has the NPP not included in their list of none existing factories companies that were built in the 70s?

Issah Mohammed and his party should apologize unreservedly to Jirah Buipewura Jinapor II for the embarrassment caused his person when the NPP connived with the Dj of the occasion to turn off one of the microphones during the presentation of H.E John Mahama's speech. 

The NPP is by this reminded that HE John Mahama will continue to be the greatest asset and human resource the Gonja Kingdom and all people of Northern extract has ever had in recent times, and as such, no amount of name calling and character assassination will take that away from him.

I want to conclude with a warning to the NPP in Savannah: we are prepared to confront them whenever they resort to their usual verbal attacks against our incoming President.

Signed;

R.A. Jalil

Communication Officer

NDC- Savannah Region

0240998279/0249808911

Source: Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham