<<Print>>

President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced that Ghana has the highest electricity accessibility in the West African Sub-Region. He said although accessibility in Ghana is 76 per cent, the highest in West Africa, government would still pursue measures that would step up access to ensure the sustenance of small and medium scale enterprises. President Mahama made this known during a symbolic inauguration of rural electrification project in Kotingli for 22 communities under the phase one of the Northern Region Rural Electrification Programme. A total of 400 communities in the region would benefit from the first phase of the programme, while another 400 communities would enjoy similar services in the second phase. President Mahama who is on a two- day official visit in the Northern Region inspected on- going affordable housing project at Lahagu also near Tamale and would also cut the sod for expansion programme on the Tamale Airport to international standards. He said the provision of electricity is not meant for providing lights alone but to boost business activities and enable many enterprising youth to establish businesses. On the re-organisation of the Ghana Youth in employment programmes, he said it is being packaged for parliamentary approval after which it would be placed under the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations. He gave the assurance, after parliamentary approval, the Ministry would be empowered to roll out better employment programme for the youth of Ghana. Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, urged the people to throw their support behind the government to provide them with basic social amenities that would uplift their living standards. The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, in partnership with Tamale Community Cooperative credit Union provided the land with a commitment to provide access roads and services such as electricity. The Population and Housing census which placed the region as 7.7 also indicates that the social housing project in Tamale would shelter 1,500 persons and create jobs for about 600 persons. Meanwhile President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced that Government would build three new airports to augment the existing ones and make air travel accessible to all Ghanaians. The new airports, he said, would be sited at Ho, Bolgatanga, and Cape Coast. President Mahama said this when he broke the grounds for the commencement of work on the expansion project of the Tamale Airport into an international airport as part of his two-day official visit to the Northern Region. Phase one of the expansion programme would include installation of Aeronautical Ground Lightening and would be able to accommodate Boeing 747 up to Boeing 800 series of aircraft. The $100 million project would also extend and expand the runway up to 4,000 metres with additional aprons and perimeter road and security fence. The programme was also attended by ministers of state, paramount chiefs from the region, members of Parliament and members of the Diplomatic Corps. President Mahama said with globalisation it was expedient for Government to upgrade facilities at various airports to fall in tune with current international standards. He said apart from the Tamale Airport, similar upgrading facilities would be provided at the Kumasi Airport, in order to have three international airports, while the Takoradi and Wa airports would also be provided with permanent terminals. President Mahama appealed to vegetable farmers to take advantage of the expansion programmes to step up vegetable production to feed international markets. Mrs. Dzifa Attivor, Minister of Transport, said Government would soon acquire a national airline that would reclaim the past glories of the performance of Ghana Airways. She said Government was also carrying out expansion programmes at all the airports and airstrips in the country. Mr. Charles K. Asare, Acting Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, said growth in the aviation industry had a correlation with economic development in terms job creation and market stability. He said within the last past years, the aviation industry had increased by 25 per cent which had also increased airport tariffs for upgrading and construction of more airports in the country. Mr. Asare said major security measures were underway to take care of the traffic that would be experienced as a result of the expansion projects. He said as part of those measures, CCTV cameras would be installed at the Kotoka International Airport and subsequently to all other airports in the country. Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Northern Regional Minister, gave the assurance that every community in the region would continue to receive its share of development projects in spite of the economic challenges Government was facing. He commended President Mahama for fulfilling his campaign promises in the 2012 general election and appealed to the traditional authorities to provide the necessary support for the execution of development projects.