The main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is peddling “wicked lies” with its claims that the government has ignored the people of the Volta Region – its stronghold, President John Mahama has said.

On the first day of his five-day tour of the region, Mr Mahama told residents that nothing could be far from the truth, pointing to the government’s investment in water and infrastructure in that part of the country.

Mr Mahama, who is seeking a second and last four-year term told the gathering that his government has been able to improve water supply to 70 percent, up from nearly 40 percent as of 2012.

“If there is one area that this government has been very successful and has invested heavily in the Volta region, then it is in the area of water supply. In 2012, when I became president, the region has only 39.74 percent coverage of water, today as I speak; more than 70 percent of the people of Volta region have access to clean drinking water.”

“And that is based on projects that we have completed, if you add the projects that are ongoing, by the time we complete all those projects, the Volta region will have higher than the national average, which is 76 percent. So if some people say, no work has been done in the Volta region and continues to propel that propaganda, it is not based on the fact. It is done for political reasons, which is a very wicked lie.”

Mr Mahama also told supporters that in his first four-year term, “a lot of money has been spent on social and economic infrastructure which has two main advantages: it stimulates the economy and creates jobs. So when you are investing in education, electricity, water and people do not appreciate that, that infrastructure is stimulating the economy and creating jobs, then, you wonder where they learn their economics from.”