Abutia Teti (V/R), July 6, GNA- The Chiefs and people of Abutia, Tongor and Dzemeni in the Ho Municipality and South Dayi district respectively, have expressed their gratitude to the government for constructing first class roads in the areas.

These sentiments were expressed at separate durbars at Abutia Teti, Tongor, Tsanakpe and Dzemeni in honour of Dr Richard Anane, Minister for Roads and Transport, who is on a two-day inspection of road projects in parts of the Volta Region.

The chiefs and people of Vakpo in the Kpando district also commended the government for fulfilling its promise to rehabilitate roads in the town, which was to repaired at a cost of 7.3 billion cedis and expected to be completed by August this year.

Speaking on behalf of the chiefs and people of Abutia, Mr Samuel Gaglozu, Assemblyman for the town, said previous governments had paid lip-service to the project, but the current administration was able to fulfill its promise to rehabilitate the roads and urged the authorities to also repair the Juapong road.

Mr Stephen Aboagye, spokesman for Togbe Asuo Kwasi V of Tongo Tsanakpe, commended the government for constructing the five-kilometer road from Toh-Kpalime junction through Tsanakpe to Dzemeni. He said: "We never dreamt of seeing our road in such an excellent shape. Now we have it, it is a credit to President Kufuor in whose honour and memory we have named the round-about",.

Mr Aboagye appealed to government to repair the Tongo-Tsanakpe town roads and to provide equipment and furniture and post personnel to the clinic in the town to enable the facility start functioning. Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister, gave the assurance that the government would fulfill all the promises it made to the people. He said even though many people were skeptical when the government gave the assurance that it would tackle the road projects it has proved its sincerity.

Mr Dzamesi said if in the past the people had distanced themselves from the government and withheld their support for it, the opportunity was still there for them to reconsider their stand. Dr Anane said the government had fulfilled its part of the social contract with the people and that it was now their turn to engage the government in a positive manner to embolden it to continue to serve them much better than it has done.

He said the government was seeking financial assistance to provide a number of cold stores at fishing communities in the country, including Dzemenu, where a fishing habour could also be built. Dr Anane said the government was committed to creating favourable conditions to facilitate economic activities. At Vakpo, Mr Anane said the government would extend the Vakpo town roads projects to Tsrukpe and Botoku, which would be bided for next week.