President inaugurates Oti Region
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the newly created Oti Region with a promise to ensure equitable allocation of resources including office infrastructure for accelerated development.
At a grand durbar at Dambai to mark the inauguration, he said a development plan for all six new regions had been drawn, and would be pursued towards bridging the development gap.
President Akufo-Addo recognised the resilience and the restraint the people of Oti exhibited during the clamour for the new region and asked them to remain united for rapid growth.
“You voted peacefully, you respected the law. Despite all the threats of violence, unnecessary language, you held your cool, Ghanaians are grateful. You have brought honour to us and God would bless you in abundance,” he said.
The President asked workers to be posted and engaged in the new regions to work hard and help open up the regions for development.
He said administrative processes were ongoing to fully robe Santrokofi, Akpaffu, Likpe, and Lolobi into the Oti Region.
President Akufo-Addo also said Government was in talks with a Dutch firm on the construction of a bridge over the River Oti, expected to take off by the fourth quarter of 2019.
The President cuts sods for the construction of an administration complex for the Oti Regional Coordinating Council and the construction of the Dambai town roads.
He said the first phase of the Sinohydro facility would benefit the Eastern Corridor Road project and presented eight vehicles and some motorcycles to the Coordinating Council.
Nana Mprah Besemuna III, Krachiwura, after commending the President for fulfilling his promise on the creation of new regions, appealed to chiefs and people in the enclave to support Government for continuous development.
He also called on chiefs to willingly release land for developmental projects.
Nana Owusu Yeboah, Oti Regional Minister called on the people to collaborate with other regions particularly Volta to foster development.
He pledged to work with stakeholders on an administrative model that would ensure fair distribution of development.
Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Service earlier told the media that administrative structures to house the various decentralised agencies and departments of the newly created regions would be completed by 2021.
He said the architectural designs were ready, and that the project would source funding from the GH¢20 million allocated for the development of the new regions.
Source: GNA