By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Oct. 14, GNA – Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that his government will consider establishing a medical school in the Upper West Region.
He said the initiative was to augment the nation’s efforts at producing medical professionals to meet the healthcare needs of Ghanaians.
“We already have a medical school at the campus in Tamale, and we think there is an opportunity to open another medical school here in the Upper West Region… All that is on the drawing board”, Mr Mahama said.
The former President revealed this in Wa on Monday when he addressed the Upper West Region House of Chiefs on his plans for the country’s development if he is elected the president on December 7, 2024.
Mr Mahama was in the Upper West Region for a three-day campaign tour of the region from Saturday, October 12 to Monday, October 14, 2024.
He said as part of the establishment of the medical school in the region, the Upper West Regional Hospital would be upgraded to a Teaching Hospital for the students to have their practical and clinical works there.
The NDC flagbearer also informed the traditional leaders about other policy proposals in the party’s election 2024 manifesto and appealed to the House to support him and the NDC to win the election to enable them to bring those ideas to fruition.
They included the proposed Women’s Development Bank, absorbing school fees for first year tertiary students, rehabilitation of the Wa-Bole-Techiman Road and agricultural and education sector interventions among others.
The former President also assured the House of his plan to establish a code of conduct for public sector workers, including baring government appointees from procuring any state property while in office.
He criticised President Akufo-Addo for ‘excessive borrowing and misapplication of the funds, high inflation rate and creating mortgage for the future.
“The next government is not going to have it easy. So, even though we go around, we acknowledge the felt needs, some people want water, some people want a bridge to be built, others want the roads to be repaired, we know that we are going to come up against a very difficult situation”, he stated.
Naa Puowelle Karbo III, the Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area and Vice President of the Upper West Region House of Chiefs, reiterated the need for all hands-on deck to ensure the upcoming general election was incident-free.
“It is my belief that ensuring peace and stability is the responsibility of all stakeholders and not only parliamentary and presidential candidates.
Chiefs, religious bodies, youth leaders, we are all duty bound to ensure that we do this election in peace”, Naa Karbo, also the Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, indicated.
Former President Mahama earlier toured the Sisala West Constituency where he pledged to devise ways of reviving the Tumu Cotton Ginnery to boost the economy.
GNA