Veep: Campaign Promises Not Now

The Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has said that though it is the wish of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government to satisfy the expectations of Ghanaians and fulfill its campaign promises within the shortest possible time, it is improbable because �the objective conditions on the ground do not make it possible�. Mr. Mahama said government is taking serious steps to remove all obstacles inhibiting the fulfillment of its promises to the people, adding; �This is taking time because of the seriousness of the obstacles.� Mr. Mahama continued that Government is however confident that it is on track and very soon the dividends will show for Ghanaians to see. �All that is needed is a little bit of goodwill and patience for the government,� he said. The Vice President made these comments in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister for Culture and Chieftaincy, Alex Asun Ahensa over the weekend at the celebration of this year�s Yam Festival of the Asogli Traditional Area at Ho. According to the Vice President, President Mills and his government are very much aware of the high expectations of Ghanaians and are also mindful of the campaign promises the party made to them. He said despite the challenges, government has done something on two key promises it made to the people of the Volta Region. He mentioned the establishment of a public university and the rehabilitation of roads in the region. Regarding the public university, the Vice President said government has set up a committee which is working around the clock towards the attainment of that promise, adding that government will work very fast on the committee�s report as soon as it is presented. The Minister for Roads and Highways, he noted, has been tasked to work on the roads beginning with those with the highest rates of economic returns. Mr. Mahama pointed out that there is the need for the youth to be disciplined, saying, �In short, there is too much indiscipline in the country and we cannot go along in this line if we want to develop rapidly and smoothly.� He observed that the indiscipline in society manifests itself in armed robbery, �sakawa�, corruption, drug abuse, road accident and many more and appealed to society as a whole, especially parents, religious bodies and the security agencies to wage a concerted and relentless war against indiscipline because the situation is getting out of hand. He further appealed to all who sincerely know that they are social deviants to voluntarily change for the better before the long arm of the law catches up with them. Mr. Mahama commended the efforts of Togbe Afede XIV in promoting the development of the Asogli State and the region as a whole. He mentioned the US$250 million Volta Region Economic Development Plan which starts from 2009 to 2014 and the Sunon-Asogli Power Project which is expected to go a long way to solve the power problem of the nation. He was of the view that when traditional authorities in the nation take such bold initiatives together with the government, the nation can progress speedily. He explained that as a state, the people of Asogli Traditional Area need absolute peace and unity to be able to develop, urging them to forge ahead as a united people with a common destiny. On his part, the Agbogbomefia, Togbe Afede XIV, called for unity among Ghanaians. �Tribalism, bad politics, chieftaincy and land disputes are the major threats to peace in our country. We need to join hands in fighting them so we would also leave a peaceful country for our children,� he noted. Togbe Afede observed that most conflicts are merely fights over limited resources �hence the pursuance of development and the expansion of the resources and opportunities available to the people is the best strategy in our fight to sustain our peace and unity. Development and particularly economic development that brings hope, he said, underpins peaceful societies, adding that it is no coincidence then that the most developed countries are the most peaceful. Corruption, he noted, is a common feature of all resource-rich but poor African countries, adding, �Corrupt officials are like termites at the woodwork. They eat at the very foundation of our future development.� Corrupt officials, he said, �create scarcity and poverty in the midst of plenty. Their actions are the greatest threats to our peace and development�. Togbe therefore called on all to join hands in the fight against corruption. The occasion was also used to launch the Ho 2009 Tourist and Business Guide which is to help readers acquire information about Ho.