The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) has a more comprehensive blueprint for the construction of the Keta Port.
He assured that the next NDC government under John Mahama, guided by the party’s 2024 manifesto would construct the port for the benefit of the people of the Volta, Oti, and Northern regions.
Ablakwa was speaking at a media engagement at the NDC’s Volta Regional office in Ho, Monday.
“What I like about our vision is that ours is bigger. We are going to look at how the port is going to serve Volta and the entire Oti Region and even all the way to the northern belt which you know is landlocked.
Instead of going through Tema and then Kumasi through Techiman, it is far, far shorter if you use the new port in the Volta region in Keta. Within a few hours you can serve the people of the northern part of our country, so we have a more comprehensive blueprint for creating a new port or a new hub for our people,” he said.
The North Tongu legislator also reiterated the development of the Ho airport into an aviation training hub to serve the West African Sub-region.
He added that the next NDC government would undertake a non-aeronautical estate business development of the airport in the region in partnership with the private sector under an Airport City Precinct Development Scheme.
Ablakwa outlined the establishment of a regional digital centre modelled after the Accra Digital Centre.
He promised the region would witness a major boost in agriculture where farmer service centres would be established in all districts coupled with the setting up of an agro-industrial zone, and cocoa processing plant in the region.
The outspoken MP also lists the dredging of the Volta Lake and other river bodies to prevent future flooding and also enhance the fishing industry and pay full compensation to the victims of the Akosombo and Kpong dam spillages.
He also said that the NDC aims to establish a quaternary hospital in the Volta region geared towards promoting medical tourism while expanding the Ho Teaching Hospital to provide special services.
He said the NDC would continue the development of the University of Health and Allied Sciences by establishing additional campuses in Keta and Battor, while establishing a Zonal Public Laboratory in the Volta region and upgrading the four existing zonal laboratories.
There are also plans to facilitate the construction of trauma centres, clinics, rest stops, and other social amenities along the Accra – Aflao and Tema – Afienya – Ho corridors
Ablakwa also said that the NDC manifesto contained the introduction of specialised Artificial Intelligence labs in selected secondary schools across the country with the Volta Region inclusive.
Under road infrastructure, Ablakwa outlined the completion of the Eastern Corridor Road, constructing an inter-regional road from Keta – Denu – Ho – Have – Kpando – Worawora, and ending at Dambai.
He said the Asikuma – Anum – Dzemeni roads would be constructed as contained in the manifesto, while feasibility studies would be conducted for the construction of bypasses at Hohoe and Kpando to encourage transit trade.
He also said that the NDC aims to establish a quaternary hospital in the Volta region geared towards promoting medical tourism while expanding the Ho Teaching Hospital to provide special services.
He said the NDC would continue the development of the University of Health and Allied Sciences by establishing additional campuses in Keta and Battor, while establishing a Zonal Public Laboratory in the Volta region and upgrading the four existing zonal laboratories.
There are also plans to facilitate the construction of trauma centres, clinics, rest stops, and other social amenities along the Accra – Aflao and Tema – Afienya – Ho corridors.
Ablakwa also said that the NDC manifesto contained the introduction of specialised Artificial Intelligence labs in selected secondary schools across the country with the Volta Region inclusive.
He further indicated that the NDC government would “facilitate investments by the Minerals Commission in natural salt production at Keta to expand capacity and also find markets for the product in Nigeria and other countries.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, these among others are the significantly crucial projects captured in the NDC Manifesto meant for the people of the Volta Region.
These can only materialise when we all come out in our numbers and vote massively for H.E. John Mahama and all NDC Parliamentary Candidates”, he stressed.