Garu MP calls for completion of ‘Mahama projects’

Member of Parliament for Garu Constituency in the Upper East Region, Alalzuuga Albert Akuka, has made a passionate appeal to government to complete projects initiated by the previous government for socio-economic progress of the people in the area.

Speaking in an interview, he said the projects which are very important to the people, needed to be completed to quicken economic activities of the widely rural but predominantly agrarian constituency.

Outlining some projects, the MP said, “one of the biggest interventions the NDC government undertook is the Tamne irrigation project which is progressing, the contractor is on site and I’m sure he would be able to complete the project on schedule."

According to him, the irrigation project can serve about 3,000 acres of farmland and can go a long way to boost agriculture yields in the constituency and beyond, noting that farmers in the area during the dry season are found wanting since lack of water contributes in no small way to the destruction of their crops.

The MP, who was a former District Chief Executive for Garu-Tempane district, said they have been crying for the irrigation project for a very long time, adding, that the project has being on the drawing boards since the 1960’s during the Nkrumah’s regime.

However, he said it took John Mahama, the former president to bring the project to fruition, noting that previous governments have paid lip services to it but to no avail.

He said the people are very happy for the project since it would enable them to farm all year round.

Making reference to other projects, Akuka said as a former DCE through the immediate past NDC government, he initiated over twenty (20) projects mostly in the area of schools and health, adding that most are in advanced stages whiles some have been completed.

He mentioned the community day secondary school, which has been completed and being roofed and other GetFund projects, some of which are nearing completion.

Akuka noted that during the parliament recess, he donated about 1,350 mathematical sets for the BECE pupils to motivate them to do well in their exams, adding he has been in constant touch with the educational directorate to ensure education is improved in the area.

He said he is impressed that students have improved about 35% in terms of performance, noting that they are determined to encourage them to do better.

According to him, he also devoted part of his common fund to organize vacation classes for SHS students to do well.

The Garu MP pledged that it’s his intention to set up an educational fund to sponsor brilliant but needy students to attain the highest education they could.

He explained that it is his wish to be a youth friendly MP, and to that end, he will use sports to bring the youth together and also provide them with sports kits to unearth their talents.

Hon. Akuka lamented that the constituency is about 90% rural, making it difficult for development to come to the doorsteps of the people.

“For instance, the constituency is highly fragmented, it’s not closely compacted and therefore to supply electricity or water becomes a daunting challenge”.

That notwithstanding, he assured of his best to improve development of the Constituency.