Let's renew our relationship with NPP - JAK

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday urged the chiefs and people in the Upper West Region to renew their relationship with the government and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He said, "the NPP which had its roots in the Busia-Danquah tradition is the political heritage of the people in the region with forebearers such as S.D. Dombo and Jato Kaleo of blessed memory".

President Kufuor was addressing separate durbars of chiefs and the people in the Nadowli and Jirapa-Lambussie districts on the second day of his three-day official visit to the Upper West Region.

He also commissioned a 134-million cedi street light project at Jirapa.

President Kufuor told the Chiefs and the people that the NPP was a valuable asset to them and therefore, they should appreciate efforts by the government to improve on their living standards.

"Let us work to rebuild our country, let us begin afresh and prove that it's the best government the region has had in the country."

President Kufuor appealed to the people not to be swayed by the propaganda being waged against the government, adding, "the government would serve all parts of the country. Your region has not been neglected."

He said government would continue to be fair and humane as possible in the disbursement of revenue from the HIPC Funds to alleviate the plight of the people, especially those in the rural areas.

President Kufuor directed the Ministry of Education (MoE) to ensure that a Science Resource Centre was established at Kaleo Secondary School, which had been selected as one of the secondary schools to be upgraded under the government's policy.

Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education, said 57 out of the 84 basic schools in the Nadowli District had been selected for rehabilitation and reconstruction this year.

In addition, four schools would be supported under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND).

The Minister of Education said a new hostel would be built for the Saint Francis Girls Secondary School at Jirapa, while the Jirapa Secondary School is upgraded.

Naa Banamini Sando 11, Paramount Chief of the Kaleo traditional area, appealed to the government to establish a special fund for comprehensive pre-education development at schools in the region.

He said development should include childhood development centres and recreational facilities that would encourage and sustain children in school and prepare them adequately for basic education.

Naa Sando, who is also the vice president of the National House of Chiefs appealed to the government to establish a science resource centre to cater for Science students in the entire Nadowli District and assist to connect the Issa Leadership Training School in the Nadowli District to the national grid.

Earlier, at Jirapa, Naa Dinah, Regent of Jirapa traditional area said the district had high level of illiteracy, poverty and ignorance and called on the government to assist the few schools in the area to groom the children to grow and become self-reliant and responsible people.

He called on the government to also assist the district to solve its numerous land and chieftaincy disputes, which, he said, were retarding development.