ACCRA, Ghana, 16th September: President John Dramani Mahama says government is deliberately directing more development projects towards Ghana’s six newly created regions to help them close the infrastructure and amenities gap with the older regions.
He said Ahafo, as one of the newly created regions, required targeted investment because it did not yet have many of the facilities and amenities found in more established regions.
President Mahama made the remarks when the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs paid a courtesy call on him at the Presidency.
“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,” he said.
He explained that government had consequently made the accelerated development of the six new regions part of its programme.
“When it comes to development projects, we have deliberately skewed them in favour of the new regions so that they can catch up with the older, more established regions,” the President added.
President Mahama cited the Big Push infrastructure programme as one of the initiatives through which Ahafo would benefit.
He said a number of important roads in the region had already been factored into the first phase of the programme, while additional roads are expected to be included in Phase Two.
The President also reaffirmed government’s commitment to establishing a tertiary institution in Ahafo before the end of his current term.
On healthcare, he said government is committed to ensuring that each of the six newly created regions has a first-class regional hospital.
According to him, the 2026 Budget provided for three regional hospitals, with procurement completed and contractors preparing to move to site.
The remaining three, he said, would be provided for in the 2027 Budget, with Ahafo included among them.
President Mahama further pointed to the construction of 24-hour markets as part of the government’s strategy to stimulate economic activity at the district level.
He said government is constructing one 24-hour market in each of Ghana’s 261 districts.
The markets, he explained, would provide outlets for farmers to sell their produce while helping to improve incomes and stimulate local economic activity.
President Mahama assured the Ahafo traditional authorities that the region would receive its fair share of national development resources.
“I can assure you that in sharing the national cake, Ahafo will get its fair share,” he said.
He thanked the chiefs for their partnership with government and pledged that the administration would continue working with traditional authorities to accelerate development in Ahafo and the other newly created regions.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭