By Godfred A. Polkuu
Sandema (U/E), July 28, GNA – Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has promised to construct a nursing training college in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region if given the nod to become president.
“A tertiary institution in this district is something that I want to promise you as president; I will make sure you have it…” he told the Sandem-Nab, Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area, Nab Azaksuk Azantilow.
Dr Bawumia, who called on the Paramount Chief at his Palace on the first day of his tour to the region, made the promise when Nab Azantilow repeated his appeal for a tertiary institution, among other projects, in the Traditional Area.
Nab Azantilow said despite several appeals including a cold system for the Sandema Hospital, which did not run mortuary services, none of those appeals had received any “sympathetic consideration.”
“We indeed have a site for the establishment of a nursing training college, which stalled due to lack of funding. My people and I will prioritize your votes, and hope that you will take this into account, and you shall be rewarded in return,” he said.
In further response to a request to have the Chieftaincy Act reviewed to give power to chiefs to adjudicate cases, the Flagbearer said: “In fact, it is part of my manifesto, that we are going to amend Section 63 of the Chieftaincy Act to empower the chiefs.”
The Vice President said his presidency would ensure that the chieftaincy institution was brought closer to government.
“To do this, we also want to resource the chiefs. We want to pay living allowances to our overlords, paramount and divisional chiefs,” he said.
He said queenmothers would also be paid “living allowances” to help in the administration of the chieftaincy institution.
“Nab, we have a lot of things to do, but I will be in a position to help if you make me president of the Republic of Ghana, I will be able to do a lot, and if you bring Thomas Alonsi to be Member of Parliament for Builsa North, together, we will be able to do a lot,” he said.
Dr Bawumia was accompanied by some Ministers of State, former government appointees, national and regional party executives, and members of parliament.
They included Mr. Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister for Defence; Mr. Mustapha Ussif, Minister for Youth and Sports; Mr. Ambrose Dery, former Minister for the Interior; Alhaji Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, Upper East Regional Minister; Mr. John Boadu, former General Secretary of the NPP and Madam Tangoba Abayage, former Upper East Regional Minister.
The rest were Madam Vida Akantagriwen Anaab, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the area; Mr. Anthony Namoo, the Regional Chairman of the NPP; Mr. Arimeyaw Somo Lucky Basintale, West Mamprusi MCE; Mr. Danladi Abdul-Nashir, former MCE for the East Mamprusi Municipality; Mr. Fuseini Nurudeen, the North East Regional Chairman of the NPP, among others.
GNA