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President John Dramani Mahama has assured the people of the Volta Region that he will not take them for granted. His assurance comes in the wake of agitation by the people of the region to the effect that they have not been treated fairly with regard to the allotment of development projects. This came to light when the President paid a day�s working visit to the region last Sunday. At a meeting with the chiefs of the Asogli State, the Chief of Ho-Heve, Togbe Anikpui, told President Mahama that the people had wanted to go on a demonstration last week to register their displeasure at the neglect of the region and its people. In particular, Togbe Anikpui was concerned about the frustration the people faced when travelling to and from Accra following the closure of the Adomi Bridge. President Mahama was in the Volta Region to inspect work on some ongoing projects, including the Ho-Adaklu-Adidome road which had become an alternative route to Accra following the closure of the Adomi Bridge. Work on the Ho-Adaklu-Adidome road, which was started in 2010, ought to have been completed in 2012. President Mahama said complaints over roads were widespread and that the government had designed a special package to address the problem. He said another suspension bridge had been designed for the Lower Volta, while the construction of a floating bridge was under consideration to help ease traffic as a result of the closure of the Adomi Bridge. Projects President Mahama said a portion of the eastern corridor road project had been repackaged to be funded by a China Exim facility to accelerate the rate of work. He said work on the Ho Central Market would begin in August this year, while the procurement processes for the construction of offices for new district assemblies had been completed. He commended the people for frankly stating their frustration and indicated that it had prompted the government to what it�s supposed to do. Later, briefing the President when he inspected work on the Ho-Adaklu-Adidome road, the Chief Executive of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Mr Michael Abbey, said if the necessary funding was made available, work could be completed within five months. Water/sanitation project The Agbogbomefia of Ho Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, blamed government appointees from the region for creating a communication gap between the people and the government. At Adidome in the Central Tongu District, the President inspected a community water and sanitation project being funded by the Austrian government. The Project Engineer, Ms Eunice Akitia, said when completed, the project would supply 5,000 cubic metres of water per day to 155 communities in the Central Tongu, North Tongu, Ho West and Ho East districts. The Chief of Adidome, Togbe Kwasinyi Adzima III, appealed to the government to establish a vocational and technical school in the area and make the Adidome Farm Institute an agricultural training college. At Adaklu-Tsrefe, the Chief of Adaklu-Anfoe, Togbe Agbobada, expressed regret at the slow pace of work by contractors on the Ho-Adidome road and said the delay was negatively affecting the economic activities of his people. He appealed to the government to ensure that the Adidome water project was extended to the Adaklu area.