The Western Region branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has claimed that the only thing that the Akufo-Addo-led administration has given the region are “doses of Sakawa projects”.

Addressing a press conference, Communications Director of the NDC in the Region Richard Kirk Mensah said the Akufo-Addo administration has shown gross disrespect to the chiefs and people of many communities in the Region by performing many “matricki wo” sod-cutting ceremonies for landmark projects that otherwise would have changed their fortunes.

“On 18th June 2018, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo disrespected the Chiefs and people of Mpohor and Wassa Fiase Traditional Council by exhibiting the real meaning of Sakawa or 419. After waiting for hours for the President to cut sod for the Kejabil to Mpohor road, the President came and cut the sod for the commencement of the project…Surprisingly, immediately after the sod-cutting ceremony, and the President had left for Accra the contractor JPP CONSTRUCTION Ltd also packed his equipment out of site and never returned. The public was then informed by the MP of the area that the contractor had no contract, but was moving from the Presidency to the ministry of roads day and night for the road to be captured in the budget, and documents signed for the contractor to move to site”.

He continued: “On the 19th August 2020, Nana Akufo-Addo disrespected the people of Shama and deceived them too. Similar to the other issue, he cut sod for the commencement of the new Shama District hospital in the presence of the Chiefs and people. As usual, immediately after he left the site the machines were packed out of site and as we speak not a fly has return to site."

“On that same day, the President also cut sod for the Ankyernyin to Egyam road in the Ahanta West district and he repeated his usual ‘matricki wo’ style on the people of Ahanta West,” Mr. Kirk Mensah claimed.

"He went on to indicate that on the 16th of September 2020, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia cut sod for the construction of the much talked about Takoradi interchange project and that project also appears to be a “matricki wo one”.

“…and just as they have done in other parts of Ghana to deceive people immediately the cameras captured the machines in the Sakawa ceremony, the fake contractor packed his accoutrements and vanished out of site. In fact, we have a video of how the NPP government deceived the people Takoradi by giving overall and working gears to party foot soldiers to wear to pretend to be workers of the said construction company. Even the gravel and sand they used for the sod-cutting have been sent back to wherever they brought it from,” he claimed.

According to Mr Kirk Mensah, there is nothing to show for all the juicy promises then-candidate Akufo-Addo made to the people of the Western Region.

“In the lead-up to the 2016 elections, then-candidate Nana Addo and the NPP made juicy promises to the people of the Western Region. At the time, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama had completed and commissioned a number of projects in the region to propel its development to a very high level. Example Kansawrodo by-pass, Takoradi Port expansion, Sekondi Fishing Harbour Phase 2, Apimanim to Elubo road, Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, Tarkwa-Bogoso, Bogoso-Wassa Akropong, Wassa Akropong-Ayamfuri roads etc. Having bought into his message and voted massively for him, the good people of the region were in high expectation that as President he would put the development of the region in the front burner. Sadly, four years have come and the President has nothing to show to the people for his effort. His record in respect of the region’s development is most disappointing…”

“Rather, what the good people of the region have been fed with are doses of ‘Sakawa’ projects,” he alleged.

According to the Regional Communications Director, what necessitated their press conference was the “litany of lies by President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Vice President Bawumia about such ghost projects”.

“…two (2) months ago the Vice President was on Asempa FM and he said contractors are on site and working on the Takoradi interchange, though we knew it was a lie we said to ourselves let give him the benefit of the doubt. Surprisingly just yesterday the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo said in Accra that works on the Takoradi interchange is progressing steadily”.

He added: “The lies are now too many. We of the NDC have therefore taken it upon ourselves to bring you all here. To tour the various sites, check…”

“At this juncture, we will encourage every Ghanaian especially Christians, Moslems and our traditional believers for whom truth is the backbone of their respective respected religions to be bold and vote against President Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP government because they have never been truthful to Ghanaians especially the people of Western Region,” he pleaded.