The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says contrary to claims made in the Green Book of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the Eastern Corridor project is progressing speedily, evidence on the ground proves otherwise.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, who is wrapping up his five-day tour of the Volta Region, “it is unconscionable to make claims of having built critical roads when the reality is that the people are enduring unimaginable suffering because of the state of the roads. …Work on the Eastern Corridor is not progressing speedily.”

Addressing the Volta Regional House of Chiefs in Ho, on Friday, October 28, 2016, the NPP flag bearer explained that the last time he made reference to the state of the roads in the Western Region, during his tour, President John Mahama stated that he (Nana Akufo-Addo) must have been asleep while on the roads and was, thus, unable to see the good works.

“I was very wide awake on the road from Asikuma, through Peki, Kpeve to Have and, yesterday, I was wide awake on the journey from Nkwanta to Hohoe, with a few detours, and from Hohoe to Ho. I was very wide awake on the roads from Dambai, Krachi, Nkwanta, and to Kpassa. Indeed, I suggest that it is not possible for anyone to sleep while on these roads,” Nana Akufo-Addo stated.

He continued: “These are all part of our infamous Eastern Corridor project, which in the words of the Green Book [are] progressing speedily. The stretch from Asikuma through Peki and beyond is scandalous and I suggest it is cruel to play games with the people of Ghana.”

Fighting the ‘Rome was not built in a day’ defence of the NDC, as far as the construction of the road is concerned, Nana Akufo-Addo said: “I doubt that anybody ever claimed that the almighty mess we have today has the makings of a Rome.”

To this end, the NPP flag bearer appealed to the chiefs to join in the quest “to build a prosperous and happy nation”, stressing that this is “a responsibility to ourselves, to our children and to generations yet unborn”.

He urged the traditional leaders to help “change course from the disastrous path that the current government is leading us”. Mr Akufo-Addo concluded: “I believe that you, our traditional leaders, have a critical role in this project to rescue and build Ghana into a prosperous and happy nation that is at peace with itself.”