Thank You for Not Coming By Helicopter - Afram Plains Chief to President Akufo-Addo

By Rex Mainoo Yeboah

Nana Kwasi Opoku Mintah, Chief of Kwahu Tafo in Afram Plains, has thanked the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for visiting the Afram Plains North constituency by road and seeing for himself the nature of the road network.

According to Nana Kwasi Opoku Mintah, "some Presidents and governments, in times past, only came to visit Donkorkrom using helicopters," as such, did not appreciate the difficulties the people go through.

"You have proven to be different and we pray that your government will come to our aid and construct these roads, which have been in a deplorable state for many years," the Afram Plains Chief said.

Nana Kwasi Opoku Mintah made this known on Saturday, 24th November, 2018, when President Akufo-Addo visited Donkorkrom on the final day of his 3-day tour of the Eastern Region.

In his remarks, he thanked President Akufo-Addo for energizing Ghanaian youth across the country with his Free Senior High School policy. This policy, he added, has given Ghanaian youth the opportunity to chart progressive futures for themselves.

"Investing in education and in the future of our children involves a huge capital outlay. We know it will take some years before we can fully realise and appreciate the full benefits of Free SHS. One day, Ghanaians will make reference to you, President Akufo-Addo, and the impact Free SHS has had on us. Posterity will be kind to you," he added.

Being of the belief that "you (President Akufo-Addo) had used all of Ghana's monies to pay for the fees of children", Nana Kwasi Opoku Mintah told the gathering that "we were not expecting to have electricity extended to us, but today Adawso, a town in this district, has electricity."

On government's pledge of providing the equivalent of $1 million per constituency per year, the Afram Plains Chief expressed his surprise at the numerous infrastructural projects undertaken in the constituency, prominent amongst them being the completion of two 1,000 metric ton warehouses in Afram Plains North and South.

"I have seen it with my own eyes and we are grateful. When you promise, you redeem that promise, and we thank you," he added.

Nana Kwasi Mintah appealed to President Akufo-Addo to construct a College of Education in the Afram Plains, which will help in the training and retention of teachers "to teach our own children."

With the district being major beneficiaries of the programme for "Planting for Food and Jobs", the Chief noted that the production of cashew and onions are booming, and, thus, requested for the construction of their roads to help in carting the produce.

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