Ashanti Not Neglected

Vice-President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the government has not neglected the Ashanti Region as some people seek to portray.

He said Kumasi, which is one of the very important cities in the country, would be supported to showcase its beauty and develop its potential.

He noted that some ongoing development projects in the Kumasi metropolis and other parts of the region had faced some setbacks due to financial constraints and that the government was seriously looking for funds to continue them.

Mr Mahama said this in Kumasi at the weekend after he joined a number of volunteers, non-governmental organisations and staff of Zoomlion in a massive clean-up exercise in the central business district of the city.

The Vice President, accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Kwaku Agyeman Mensah, and the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong, led the volunteers to de-silt choked gutters and remove refuse at Adum.

The exercise formed part of preparations towards the 54th anniversary of Ghana’s independence.

Addressing the volunteers after the exercise, Mr Mahama said the government was committed to ensuring that national resources were distributed evenly.

He added that that was why every effort was being made to complete ongoing development projects in Kumasi.
He said Ghana continued to be a model for Africa in democratic practice, peace and stability and promised that everything would be done to ensure a peaceful general election in 2012 “to demonstrate our commitment to the democratic process in the country”.

The Vice President said contrary to the perception that there would be trouble in the sixth election in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, the election would pass off successfully and without any rancour.

He stressed the need for residents of Kumasi to contribute to the beautification of the city by organising regular clean-up exercises there.

Mr Mahama said regular clean-up exercises would promote healthy lives and sound environment.

Dr Agyeman-Mensah, for his part, expressed worry over the indiscriminate disposal of refuse in the city and called on residents of Kumasi to desist from negative acts which undermined the development of the city and affected the health of residents.

He also stressed the need for joint efforts to tidy up the city.

Mr Sarpong thanked the volunteers for their response to the call to undertake the clean-up exercise and called for the continuous demonstration of the communal sprit to ensure cleanliness in the city.