Where is the Volta University? … Voltarians question Mills

The abandoned site for the Volta University, where the President cut the sod for the project, left to grow weeds

By: Samuel Agbewode, Ho
The abandoned site for the Volta University, where the President cut the sod for the project, left to grow weeds

There is growing agitation against the ruling party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), in some parts of the Volta Region, for what they describe as the continuous deceit of the people by the government, in relation to the establishment of the University of Health and Allied Sciences.

According to the people, it was becoming increasingly clear to them that the government was only throwing dust into their eyes, because various comments made over the years, in relation to the establishment of the university, were a way to cover up the inability of the government to fulfill key promises made to the people.

Speaking to The Chronicle at Aflao and Ho, the worried looking sympathisers of the ruling party said it was very disturbing that the party they had worked for over the years to take over the administration of the nation, in order to bring more development to the region, had failed them for the past three years.

The worried Voltarians pointed out that because the NDC was noted for promising the people without redeeming such promises, inconsistencies in statements and activities made and engaged in by government officials as well as the President, meant to show that the government had lived up to its promises, they found it difficult to appreciate government's efforts in the region.

They said it did not make reason to the ordinary person in the region that the President, John Evans Atta Mills, came to the region on February 7, 2011 and cut the sod at the permanent site for the university, but since the ceremonial sod cutting no single structure had been put up there to give meaning to the ceremony.

Subsequently, the then Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Joseph Amenowode, announced that the university would begin in September the same year from what the Minister described as temporary facilities, which were uncompleted structures at the Government Secretariat in Ho, the abandoned Ministry of Agriculture School at Adidome, where Dela Radio is currently operating, abandoned oncho facility at Hohoe, and nurses quarters built during former President Kufuor's administration in Ho.

They pointed out that these were some of the information made available to the public. Again, the Deputy Minister of Education Mr. Mahama Ayariga, also visited the region and created the impression that all was well for the smooth take off of the university, and 'now we are hearing that structures have been provided near the Volta Regional Hospital for the same purpose, and questioned which of the information was accurate.

According to them, they were worried about what they called the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards the university project, because, to the best of their knowledge, once the sod was cut, physical structures would be seen at the site.

They further said that even if other arrangements would be made to ensure the early start of the university, it should be well communicated to the people.

They pointed out that their major concerns were how government managed information, as most of the information given out about the university project were not credible enough to convince them, because the information that provisional structures were being put up near the Volta Regional Hospital allegedly turned out to be a long term expansion works of the hospital, which was expected to be upgraded to a teaching hospital.

However, the hospital management was not readily available to confirm what the people claimed to be expansion work, as at the time of filing this report.

But The Chronicle can confirm that a wire mesh used as a fence had been open for new buildings meant for the University for Easy Movement.

An elderly man, who spoke to The Chronicle on the university issue and general development of the region, Mr. Emmanuel Dorfenyo, said it was very clear that the people of the Volta Region had been taken for granted for far too long, due to the political position that they had taken over the years.

Mr. Dorfenyo said the contradictions in the activities of the ruling government – to quickly cut sod for work to start on the university project and to claim that it was putting up new structures near the regional hospital – were enough for the people to know that the government was becoming economical with the truth.

Touching on the recent visit to the southern part of the region by the President last week, Mr. Dorfenyo said he was not surprised about the visit, because after visiting other regions and inaugurating projects, the President came to the region only to urge the people to register peacefully and vote for him, which he said, was very unfortunate.

Mr. Dorfenyo stressed that the current visit by the President confirmed that the people of the region were only regarded as what he described as 'voting machines,' who only vote for the government to win elections, only to be abandoned when the NDC assumes governance of the country.

The Chronicle can however, confirm that new infrastructure under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund) can be seen in most schools, including the Junior and Senior High schools across the region, a development aimed at promoting teaching and learning.