President John Dramani Mahama has donated an amount of GHS 10,000 to the chiefs and people of Banda in the Brong Ahafo Region to support the renovation of the palace and the seat of the Banda Traditional Council.

Addressing a durbar of chiefs and subjects at Banda Ahenkro to commemorate the annual Fordjuor Yam festival and the 19th anniversary of the coronation of the paramount chief of the Banda Traditional Area, Okokyeredom Kwadwo Sofo I, Mr Mahama said: "Government will continue to work hard to bring development to the doorsteps of the people throughout the length and breadth of Ghana.”

He promised the people of the area his government would "upgrade the Banda Health Centre into a fully-fledged hospital" and hinted of his consideration to site "a possible campus of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR)" at Banda in response to a request made by the Bandamanhene.

On his part, Okokyeredom Kwadwo Sito I, who was full of praise for President Mahama and his government, expressed gratitude for the "massive development in education and other social amenities" and thanked him for heeding to his request by "making Banda a fully-fledged district".

The chief appealed for more developmental projects for the area including the construction of a "17km road from Menji to Banda Ahenkro" to help open up Banda to the rest of the country.