President Akufo-Addo speaking at Jamestown
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called for calm before, during and after the December 7 elections.
The President made the call when he addressed the traditional authorities and people of Jamestown at a durbar held in his honour yesterday as part of his tour of Greater Accra Region.
“We want peace in Accra. And everyone should be given the opportunity to decide who to vote for. This is not a fight. Whoever wants to forcefully win, it means that fellow has nothing good to offer. Everyone has a right to vote, so I’m pleading with everyone because the world is watching us. So we need to show that we are truly a peaceful country,” he appealed.
The President’s call comes on the back of recent violence at Jamestown after a peace walk by supporters of NPP and NDC turned violent on Sunday morning.
The President urged all Ghanaians, including residents of Odododiodio, to renew his mandate by voting for him and his parliamentary candidates in the upcoming elections.
He asked them to consider the various policies and programmes, including the Free SHS, 1D1F, One Constituency, One Ambulance, among others, implemented by the NPP government and vote massively for them.
Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange
The President had earlier inspected construction works on Obetsebi-Lamptey Interchange whose construction commenced in October 2019. The project is some 92 per cent complete.
Funding for this project, amounting to $135 million, was secured by the Akufo-Addo government, and made possible by Export Credit Facilities from the United Kingdom and Spain.
The interchange is located at the intersection of the Ring Road, Graphic Road, and the Accra-Winneba Road. It has been a congested location for a very long time and a major source of worry to the commuting public.
According to the engineers on site, the project entails the construction of an overpass over the intersection in the east to west direction, and the improvement of the drainage system in the vicinity. It also includes the relocation of all public utilities along the corridor, including electricity cables, Ghana Water Company’s lines and telecommunication infrastructure.
The second phase of the project, he told the President, will include the construction of an overpass in the north to south direction, and the improvement of some critical arterial road improvements.
Jamestown Fishing Harbour
President Akufo-Addo also inspected ongoing works on the Jamestown Fishing Port project, which has been made possible by a grant from the Peoples’ Republic of China to the tune of US$48 million.
The project involves revamping the old Jamestown Fishing Harbour enclave into a Fishing Port Complex with additional facilities.
STC new buses
Earlier, the President also presented 100 buses to the Intercity STC Coaches Ltd, the largest supply of buses to the company since its establishment.
President Akufo-Addo stated that the presentation of the buses demonstrates Government’s commitment to revamping the operations of the company and positioning it to play its role as the most celebrated transport company in the country.
Expressing his delight at the success story of STC, the President applauded Nana Akomea, the CEO, for ensuring that the state transport company is now of a “state-owned company that is determined to stand on its own feet, pay its way in the world, and contribute rather than be dependent on the public exchequer. We should give a very big round of applause to the CEO and the management of the STC.”
Borders closure
With COVID and the closure of borders having impacted negatively on the company’s revenue stream, especially as 50 per cent of its operations is ‘ECOWAS-based’, he stated that Government decided to step in provide support for the company so it can continue to operate.
“Again, I am very happy to hear that, after December, when the support runs out, they will be in a position to stand on their own two feet and proceed from there. We have to salute his determination,” he added.
He continued, “We know how important transport is to the economy of our country, and the work of the STC to the economic development of our country is extremely significant.”
President Akufo-Addo is confident of the enormous benefits to be accrued from the buses to STC, and urged the company to provide even better services to its patrons and those along the new routes to be developed.
Towards improving the country’s transportation sector, Government has also procured 100 buses for the Metro Mass Transit Limited. Funds are also being secured for the supply of a total of 400 buses from Korea and Belgium to augment the existing fleet. All these buses are expected to be in the country by the second quarter of 2021.
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