The Navrongo Central constituency wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the ruling government cannot take credit for the Tono Water Treatment Plant project to be constructed in the Kasena-Nankana Municipal Assembly.

According to the party, the project, which was commissioned by the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources in Navrongo on January 28th 2019, is a “development project” of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which was commissioned by then President John Dramani Mahama in 2016.

Government last week Monday, led by the sector Minister Cecilia Dapaah performed the groundbreaking ceremony for work to begin in the construction of a Water Treatment Facility at Tono.

The facility, which will source raw water from the Tono irrigation reservoir, is being constructed with a 25,341,958.00 Euro loan from the ING Bank N.V of Belgium and 12,341,308 Euro grant from the Netherland government, is aimed at boosting water supply to majority of the towns and communities in the region.

It is also intended to support the Vea Water Treatment Plant to address and alleviate the hardship associated with shortage of water especially to women and children.

The facility when completed will produce and make available two millions gallons of treated water daily to be supplied to Navrongo, Bolgatanga, Paga, Zuarungu and surrounding towns and communities.

But in a statement signed and issued in Navrongo by the party’s constituency communication officer, Atodio John, the NDC is unhappy with government for holding another sod cutting ceremony for an already commissioned project.

The party says government has stolen the project from the NDC and is using the ceremony as means to discredit their huge contribution that led to the realization of the project and to also “claim glory when they do not deserve it to say the least”.

The statement further says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has acted hypocritically for turning around to commission a project they vehemently told lies about when they (NPP) were in opposition.

“On 28th of January, the Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation came to Navrongo to cut sod for Tono water treatment project and that the chiefs and people say thank you to NPP.

We are aware of NPP for their skills in plagiarism which they have demonstrated right from the day you assumed power from plagiarizing the speeches of other presidents to stealing of developmental projects from the past government.

On 14th July, 2016, the former president, His excellency John Dramani Mahama came to Navrongo and commissioned an 8.5million dollar water project in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region”.

“The NPP constituency executives led by their secretary at that period, indicated to the people of Navrongo and farmers that NDC was about to sell Tono to a private person. They further threw more dust to the people by indicating that people who have their animals going to the dam to drink water were going to be arrested and prosecuted. All this malicious propaganda was to lie to people for votes during the 2016 general elections. It is therefore highly hypocritical for the minister of water resources and sanitation to cut sod for the same project, claiming glory when they do not deserve it to say the least”. The statement said.

The party in the statement has asked government to spare the people of Navrongo with “fictions” and present the true facts of the project to the people.

“We therefore implore NPP to give us a break with those fictions and give credit where it’s due. Long live NDC! The NDC remains a grassroot party and has the welfare of the people at heart. Long live Navrongo, long live Upper East Region, and long live Ghana”.