THE VOLTA REGION TO BOYCOTT THE NDC?

There is no doubt that the Volta Region is on fire. From the southern Volta with Anlo Youth Council (AYC) taking a bold step to create an all-inclusive platform to ensure that the best and the most qualified leadership emerge to lead the Anlo constituencies, to the voicing of resentment about the failures of the Mills-led administration in the region by the Chiefs and people of the mid and northern Volta, there are signs all is not well with the so-called World Bank of the NDC.

Once again Torgbi Afede, the buoyant and dynamic leader of the Asogli Traditional Area and the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, has shown that he is truly the deserved captain of his people. Like the visionary captain that he is, he is able to climb the tree and surveyed the landscapes in order to offer direction to his people on matters regarding the development of the region.

I have been following developments in the region in recent times and can confirm that there is agitation among the people of the region. The people are very much aware that the President has no business touring the region as he has done in other regions, simply because there are no projects there for him to commission as he has done in other areas. And this allusion cannot be missed in the various postures of the chiefs of the regions when it comes to issues regarding the NDC's politricking in the region.

Hardly had the warnings of the Asogli Traditional leader to the political leadership of the region and the country died down than its snowball effect cascaded to catch the people of the Gbli Traditional Area. Togbi Gabusu, the paramount chief of the Gbli Traditional Area has also just indicated that the NDC would not be allowed to continue with its deception in the region when he chided the Mills-led administration of its failed promises to the region.

It is a known fact that the region has been taken for granted for far too long. But unfortunately the NDC claims that the region is its World Bank. Anyway, they should know by now that they have collapsed the World Bank and they may risk the wrath of the youth of the region if they dare try any games from now on. Let's take for example, the issue of a university for the region. I have read some critical analysis on Ghanaweb from two different sources.

It is an open secret that since the cutting of the sword for the start of the project, not a load of sand or block has been buried in the soil to show the seriousness of the government. It is only when people of the region started raising eyebrows and questioning leadership that the spin-doctors of the NDC have been going helter-skelter to find nonexistence explanations purposely to bamboozle the people that all is well and the project will take off as planned.

I have been speaking with my cousins in Ho and the revelations are just stark. By 2004, the nurses training college in Ho was receiving 2500 applications and could admit only 200 people. As a result of that the then Minister of Health, Courage Quarshigah lobbied and raised funds to improve facilities at the college in order that the collage could admit more qualified students.

Today the failure of the NDC to equitably distribute resources across the country with each region receiving its fare share of the national cake, they are now finding ways to appropriate the facilities of the nurses training college for their so-called university for the Volta Region instead of building new facilities to house the so-called university. If the idea is to upgrade the Ho nurses training college into a university, Atta-Mills should come clean on this and tell the people, so that they may not live under any illusions.

The people of the region should also ask themselves what happened in the Brong Ahafo region, where a new university from the scratch is been established. Do not allow the NDC to continue to take you for a wild goose ride. It is time to hold them accountable. Things cannot be like this forever. There should be a generation that should stand up to them and tell them enough is enough and it is your generation.

I advise the youth in the various traditional areas across the region to set up youth groups and work together to start questioning the so-called leaders of the region on issues of unemployment, failures in education, lack of development projects, inaccessible health care and so on. On unemployment, for instance, the youth can mobilize themselves to register the unemployed among them and their qualifications, so that they have a fair idea of what is happening among them. Obviously, the nation has failed to even take statistics, the basis for any meaningful development, seriously and the Volta Region cannot wait any longer. All of you should rise up and let's redirect our efforts toward getting the best for our region than depending on these incompetent bunch imposed on us whose only competencies are insulting critics on radio.

After all if our united vote cannot give the NDC purpose for two decades and more, it is time we find purpose for our unity. Long live the love we have for each other. Long live the freedom we cherish for Ghana. So God help us in our quest for justice for humanity.

Ben Akpalu,
[email protected]
California, USA