A major priority of the Government of President Akufo-Addo as part of its agenda of inclusive transformation is to bridge the development gap between the North and the South.
Therefore, programmes, such as Free Senior High School, Planting for Food and Jobs, Planting for Export and Rural Development, Rearing for Food and Jobs Initiative, One Village One Dam, One District One Warehouse, Irrigation Schemes and the construction of water systems are being implemented and will be important in closing the gap over time.
The recent UNDP Northern Ghana Human Development Report 2018, made a key finding. That is, as recent as 2014, the National Human Development Index for our country stood at 0.575 on the average. Unfortunately, Northern Ghana as a region had a Human Development Index of only 0.116. This index centers on Health, Education and Living Standards. Other development indications in the report are more worrying.
The President Akufo-Addo is very troubled by the development gap, and is determined to do what it takes to bridge it through a deliberate roll out of development programmes.
President Akufo-Addo has been very clear that one of the legacies he wants to see is to bridge that gap between the north and the south, and government is moving in that direction.
Interventions in the agriculture sector through the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, which has provided greater access to seeds, extension services and subsidised fertiliser are also yielding positive results in the north, where agriculture is the major source of employment.
Currently, plans are also afoot to increase the acreage of government funded irrigable land from 12,980 to 60,000 through the construction of the Multipurpose Pwalugu Dam and Phase II of the Bui Dam project, with Agric Mechanisation centres designed to provide help with ploughing and other services also in the offing.
Access to affordable education is also very important to the President, that is why we have implemented the Free SHS, to ensure inclusive transformation.
For those of who are aware, we can boldly say that Free SHS has been more beneficial to northern Ghana than anywhere else.
People have said that free education has always been in the north, but you and I know that it was not totally free. But Free SHS has changed all that. In every village that you visit, it is clear that it is helping.
Apart from the Pwalugu Multipurpose dam, other projects in the pipeline include the Volta Lake transport between Akosombo and Buipe, the integrated Iron and Steel industry using the Iron ore reserves at Yendi, the Tamale airport terminal to start in June, and the Accra- Paga railway line which will all help bridge the gap between the north and the South.
For some of us, we are overly excited with these projects and comes as a big relief to our people in the north.
Thank you Mr President for delivering on your promise.
Source: BestNewsGH.com
