NDC will face difficult elections this year - Chief

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will face a difficult task in the presidential and parliamentary polls in the Volta Region this year, Togbe Kwao Anipati the fourth, Paramount Chief of the Mepe traditional area, has predicted.

"This election is not going to be easy for you," he told Mr. Kwasi Aboagye, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, at a meeting of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs at Ho, on Wednesday.

Togbe Anipati said the government had failed to fulfil its promise to the Regional House of Chiefs before the 1996 elections that the region would be the focus of development programme when its mandate was renewed.

He cited the road sector as an important area where development is lacking.

Mr Aboagye disagreed with Togbe Anipati, saying that the region has much to show in development, especially in the education, health, electrification and telecommunication and water sectors.

He said but for the poor performance of the contractor, work on the Sogakope-Fume road linking Adidome, Adaklu and Ho, through to Dzolokpuita to Amedzofe would have reached an advanced stage by now.

" That contractor is our own son, but he was difficult", Mr Aboagye said.

Mr Aboagye said work on the Kpando-Dambai road being constructed by Bilfinger has also reached the outskirts of Nkonya-Wurupong and is progressing steadily.

He said the difficulty in attracting foreign funding for road projects in the region was a major problem in the past.

Mr Aboagye assured however, that much has been done to rectify the situation leading to the presence of a number of foreign road contractors in the region now.

Dr.Alexander Ababio, Member of Parliament for South-Dayi and Chairman of the Volta Region Parliamentary Caucus said chiefs constitute a great political force in the country by their status and responsibilities.

He said at the same time their position dictates that they should remain above partisan politics without being apathetic to the direction of political activities in the country.

Dr. Ababio proposed the establishment of a forum for both the Regional House of Chiefs and the region's parliamentary Caucus to meet regularly to deliberate on issues that will promote development.