“We have been keenly monitoring your development agenda for the nation, and wish to state that you have done excellently, well beyond our imagination, considering the state of the economy you inherited. More grease to your elbows. We are proud of you (President Akufo-Addo) as a chief of the traditional area and the President of the Republic of Ghana.”

These were the words of Torgbui Adrakpanya VI, Paramount Chief of the Afife Traditional Area on Monday when President Akufo-Addo interacted with chiefs from Anlo, Keta, Ketu North and South, Akatsi North and South, North Tongu and Agortime Ziope, as part of his three-day tour of the Volta Region.

According to the Afife Chief, with the Akufo-Addo administration inheriting an economy burdened with huge debts, high fiscal deficit and slow rate of growth, he and the people of the traditional area were surprised that the President has been able to implement the free SHS policy, restore the trainee nursing and teacher allowances, and implement the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme all within his first year of office.

With the event taking place at Tadzevu in the Ketu North Constituency, Torgbui Adrakpanya VI also expressed his heartfelt appreciation of the people of the Afife Traditional Area to the President for reinstating the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide.

“Thank you, Mr President, for using the due process to investigate him. After the Police report has exonerated him, we say thank you Mr. President,” he added.

Torgbui Adrakpanya VI noted that to accelerate the rate of development of the country, the Akufo-Addo administration has upgraded some districts into municipalities, including Ketu North.

They, therefore, used the opportunity to thank him for creating the new municipality and urged him to consider the creation of a new Ketu West District “for faster development of the area.”

Torgbui Adrakpanya VI requested for the establishment of a University of Agriculture in the area, among others, to train young people to provide the human resource in the agriculture and food processing sectors to meet the objectives of the Planting for Food and Jobs,’ and the setting up of a traditional council to facilitate easy administration of the traditional affairs.”