The Volta Regional wing of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s claim that the area has seen zero development under the party’s governments undermines “the value of truth and respect” for the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

Referring to the late President as their “unmatched hero,” the Volta regional NDC stressed that Mr. Rawlings was the longest-serving President of the country and the only one to come from the region, thus, did a lot for his people.

A statement issued by the wing on Monday, 23 November 2020 and signed by its Communication Officer, Kafui Sorkpa Agbleze, noted that the region is “surprised by the pronouncement of H.E Nana Addo that Volta has had zero progress under the NDC during his recent campaign tour of Hohoe.”

According to the Volta Regional NDC, the pronouncement by President Akufo-Addo has “exposed his hypocrisy as someone who believed Rawlings did nothing for the people of the Volta Region”.

“Rawlings was the founder of the NDC, and the only President of Ghana who hailed from the Volta region since the inception of the fourth republic. To say the NDC has zero progress in the Volta region is to cast a slur on the achievements of JJ Rawlings.”

The statement continued: “It is sad President Nana Addo came to the Volta region only to inform us that JJ Rawlings, who governed this country for 8 years on the ticket of the NDC, did nothing for his home region?”

It said: “We, in the Volta region, will forever immortalise Rawlings and his achievements. For the greater part of the NDC in government, it was JJ Rawlings that had the most years. Rawlings had eight (8) years, Mills four (4) years, Mahama four (4) years. Since Rawlings had the most years under the NDC, by the pronouncement of the president, he is saying Rawlings should be blamed for the zero progress in the Volta Region. Such blunders should not be committed under the cassock of political expediency."

“The people of Volta Region deserves some level of decency and respect especially in this moment of grief as they mourn their irreplaceable and illustrious son, Jerry John Rawlings. Tradition demands that no one talks ill of the dead and we thought the president would’ve known better as an elderly person.”

It emphasised that: “The people of the Volta region cherish their tradition and respect the sovereignty of truth.”

It also stated that: “Climbing the back of the elephant is not an option for the people of the region because NDC is one of Rawlings legacies and that will be protected as an honour to his memory” as former President Rawlings did a lot for the region.

“He brought clean and potable drinking water to the various communities in the region, rural electrification, telecommunications, gave the region its regional hospital, a number of District hospitals including the Sogakope district hospital, construction of roads which opened up the region , secured funds and constructed the Keta sea defence project, Agordome water treatment plant among many other developments to the region. President Rawlings touched on every sector of the economy during his reign as President and leader of the NDC.”

It added that: “The people of the Volta region will honour the memory of Jerry John Rawlings by making sure the NDC party he founded comes to power in this year's election.”

Read the full statement below:

CASTING A SLUR ON THE LEGACY OF JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS AND NDC IN VOLTA BY H.E NANA AKUFO ADDO IS SACRILEGIOUS

The Volta Region is surprised by the pronouncement of H.E Nana Addo that Volta has had zero progress under the NDC during his recent campaign tour of Hohoe.

This pronouncement by the President has exposed his hypocrisy as someone who believed Rawlings did nothing for the people of the Volta Region.

Rawlings was the founder of the NDC and the only President of Ghana who hailed from the Volta region since the inception of the forth republic. To say the NDC has zero progress in the Volta region is to cast a slur on the achievements of JJ Rawlings.

It is sad President Nana Addo came to the Volta region only to inform us that JJ Rawlings who governed this country for 8years on the ticket of the NDC did nothing for his home region?

Mr. President, we, in the Volta region will forever immortalize Rawlings and his achievements. For the greater part of the NDC in government, it was JJ Rawlings that had the most years. Rawlings had eight (8) years, Mills four (4) years, Mahama four (4) years. Since Rawlings had the most years under the NDC, by the pronouncement of the president, he is saying Rawlings should be blamed for the Zero progress in the Volta Region. Such blunders should not be committed under the cassock of political expediency.

The people of Volta Region deserves some level of decency and respect especially in this moment of grief as they mourn their irreplaceable and illustrious son, Jerry John Rawlings. Tradition demands that no one talks ill of the dead and we thought the president would’ve known better as an elderly person.

The people of the Volta region cherish their tradition and respects the sovereignty of truth.

To say, Volta has seen zero progress under the NDC, undermines the value of truth and respect for our unmatched hero JJ Rawlings. And calling on the people of the Volta region to climb on the back of the elephant amount to telling voltarians to wipe out the memory of JJ Rawlings from history.

Volta region will not chart such a course because Rawlings put Volta region on the map both locally and internationally.

Climbing the back of the elephant is not an option for the people of the region because NDC is one of Rawlings legacies and that will be protected as an honour to his memory.

Rawlings as the president of Ghana on the ticket of the NDC has done a lot for Volta region. He brought clean and potable drinking water to the various communities in the region, rural electrification, telecommunications, gave the region its regional hospital, a number of District Hospitals including the Sogakope district hospital, construction of roads which opened up the region, secured funds and constructed the Keta sea defense project, Agordome water treatment plant among many other developments to the region. President Rawlings touched on every sector of the economy during his reign as President and leader of the NDC.

Again, President Mills of blessed memory continued with numerous development particularly in the areas of roads and education for the Volta Region.The NDC's Mills/ Mahama is credited with the establishment of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Atorkor Agbledomie sea defence project all under President Mills.

The NDC under John Mahama did a lot for the people of the Volta region as found in the following areas:

Education

E blocks

? Volo SHS (in use)

? Avenorpeme SHS (in use)

? Adaklu SHS (in use)

? Agave SHS (uncompleted)

? Ziope SHS (Uncompleted)

? Torgorme SHS (not an E block but built by NDC from scratch)

? Aflao SHS (uncompleted)

Infrastructure expansion projects in SHS

? Ketasco

? St Pauls

• Sokode Sectech

• Taviefe Sectech

• Mafi Kumase Sectech

• Awudome SHS

•Awudome Sectech

• Bishop Herman

• Kpando SHS

• Kpando Technical Institute

• Zico etc

TEACHER TRAINING COLLEAGUES

INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION

1. Four story 8 unit Tutors flat at Franco

2. 18 unit class room block (French department) at Amedzofe Training Collage.

3. Construction of female hostel at Peki College of Education.

Water Projects

? Kpando Water Project

? Five Districts Water Project Adidome etc

Healthcare

? Akatsi South District Hospital expansion project (abandoned)

• CHIP zones dotted across the region.

Ketu North Municipal Hospital (complete, and inaugurated by Nana Addo)

Markets

? Ho Central Market

? Ahoe Market

? Anloga Shopping Mall (housing the Anlo district assembly)

? Akatsi North (uncompleted)

Roads

? Have Kpando roads.

• Akatsi Ziope roads

• Akatsi bypass to Aflao

• Four Municipal capital town roads asphalt overly (Ho, Hohoe, Kpando and Aflao) among others.

Fibre optic cable

The NDC has laid fibre optic cable in the region to facilitate ICT, is this not progress?

Ho Aerodrome

The NDC built the Ho aerodrome that you have refused to commission, is the Ho airport not progress?

Senior High schools & University

The NDC has built community senior high schools in the region, is that not progress? The NDC has built a university in the region and converted polytechnic to a technical university, is that not progress?

President Nana Addo promised Volta region 1D1F and there is nothing to show for it. Indeed, when Nana Addo chose to attack former President Rawlings and the NDC, he could not mention a single project he and his NPP brought to the people of the Volta region. The people of the Volta Region have rather witnessed zero progress under the NPP. These are the zero progress of the NPP, One constituency one (1) million dollars, One village one dam is zero progress because Volta region has none.

The people of the Volta region are rather much surprised about the zero progress of the eastern corridor road.

We call on the president not to insult the sensibilities of the people in the region and that of our founder, JJ Rawlings.

What is significant to note is that, in a Sunday, November 22 publications by his own office, Flagstaff House Communication Bureau, captured by some media houses, the President could not mention a single development project by the NPP in the Volta Region. We are therefore urging Nana Akufo Addo to concentrate on reversing his stinky Agyapa deal which has engulfed the Presidency and his family members.

The people of the Volta region will honour the memory of Jerry John Rawlings by making sure the NDC party he founded comes to power in this year's election.

SIGNED

Kafui Sorkpa Agbleze

NDC Volta Regional Communication Officer.