Ho (VR), Oct.5 GNA – Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) from the region to come together for the development of the region.
According to him, the people in the region would be happy to see MPs from both sides unite to champion the course of development for the region.
“For me, it is all about the development of our region and that to me is key… politics is just a means to an end and at the end of the day our people must see development.”
Dr Letsa made the remarks at the maiden edition of the Volta Stakeholders Conference under the auspices of the Volta MPs Caucus held at Ho.
The conference was attended by MPs from both the majority and minority sides, chiefs, and business leaders, among others.
The objective of the meeting was to create a platform to periodically take stock of their activities and brainstorm on matters of common interest, particularly to the human and infrastructural development of the Volta region.
Dr Letsa also commended the initiative of the Volta MPs for organizing the conference, which he acknowledged was for the development of the region.
He said the initiative was also in line with what the Regional Coordinating Council was planning to do and the roles the MPs were expected to play in the agenda set for the region by attracting investments and trade for the upcoming Volta Trade and Investment Fair scheduled for November 13th to 25th, 2021.
He expressed appreciation to the MPs for the level of cooperation he has had working with them in the region, saying it is something he was very proud of.
Mr John Peter Amewu, Minister for Railway Development, speaking at the conference, gave updates on the Eastern Extended Rail Line project and the benefits the region may derive from development.
He explained that the Eastern Extended Line is a railway line that would start from the Tema port through Mpakadan, Hohoe, Nkwanta, Yendi and up to Paga border between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
He said some sections of that trunk line was awarded on contract and work was about 75 per cent complete.
He said currently the ministry was constructing a railway bridge across the lower section of the Volta River and on completion bring it to 90 per cent.
It is estimated that by July next year the railway line from the Tema port to Mpakadan which is approximately 100km would have been completed.
Mr Amewu also announced that there were proposals to connect the new port to be constructed at Keta to the existing line.
He said the ministry was now looking at this line because it was assumed that the distance from the new port of Keta would make it more competitive compare with the port of Tema linking the line.
He said the agenda of the ministry as part of its policy was to ensure that Eastern Extended Line at least passes through one regional capital, including the Volta regional capital, Ho.
Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Chairman of the Volta Caucus, speaking at the conference explained that the purpose of the meeting was to think about the Volta region both in terms of human and infrastructural development by listening to the perspectives of both the government and minority caucus.
Also, the objective was to listen to business leaders and chiefs from the region of their expectations of the political representatives after which the meeting would proceed with a detailed discussion of the various issues with the view to establishing a common ground and eventually issue a communique on their deliberations to signify a new direction for the region.
GNA