Vice President cuts sod for two historic projects in Walewale

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Tuesday cut a sod for the construction of a Watermelon Processing Factory at Walewale in the North East Region.

In an historic day for the people in and around West Mamprusi District, the Vice President also broke grounds for the construction of an ultra-modern hospital in Walewale for the West Mamprusi District.

The Watermelon Factory Project, which is expected to create hundreds of direct jobs, as well as provide ready market for thousands of farmers in the area and beyond, is under the government's audacious industrialisation vision of One District One Factory.

Addressing Chiefs and people of the area, Dr. Bawumia described the day as historic, considering that two important projects were being prepared for take off in the area.

"I must say that today is a historic day. It is historic for the Walewale Municipality to see two major livelihood interventions of this scale happening on the same day," said the Vice President.

The Vice President noted that the two projects demonstrate President Akufo-Addo's firm commitment to empower citizens and also bridge developmental gap between the north and south.

"These interventions are adding to those that are taking place and many others that will follow. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I wish to state that the interventions that we are seeing are in line with the President's vision to see the rapid transformation of the country to expand opportunities for all, no matter where you live in the country."

Dr. Bawumia also assured other parts of the North, as well as the entire country that the NPP's development agenda is non discriminatory and knows no boundary.

"Under the NPP, it doesn't matter where you live. Whether the North or in the South, development is going to come to you. It is the President's belief that inequality must be tackled and we must create opportunities for economic prosperity for all across the country and in every region."

"He believes that bridging the gap between the North and the South is a worthwhile pursuit."

Stressing on the significance of the Watermelon Processing Factory to the area, Dr. Bawumia, described the project as a dream come true for watermelon farmers in the area, who have been worried over post-harvest losses due to the absence of ready market for their produce.

"This is a dream come true for many of our watermelon farmers," the Vice President noted.

"This area of the country, North East and its environs, is a major watermelon producing area. But you know that the problem for our farmers is that when they produce this watermelon, finding a market is very difficult and overtime, they get rotten and many people lose their produce."

On the ultra-modern 100-bed hospital, which is being financed by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Bawumia expressed delight about it, saying the hospital will greatly impact health delivery, not only in Walewale and its surroundings, but also the entire North East Region.

The hospital will have a state of the art equipment and modern facilities for units such as physiotherapy, pharmacy, general laboratory, radiology lab, eye, dental, intensive care unit, theatre, clinical specialist unit, radiology lab, mortuary, central sterilization unit, laundry and a dining hall.

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