“We have been keenly monitoring and following your development agenda for the nation, and wish to state that you have done excellently well, 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, 9th July, 2018, when the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the end of day one of his tour of the Volta Region interacted with Chiefs from Anlo, Keta, Ketu North and South, Akatsi North and South, North Tongu and Agortime Ziope.
According to the Afife Chief, with the Akufo-Addo government inheriting an economy burdened with huge debts, high fiscal deficit and a slow rate of growth, he, together with the people of the Traditional Area, were surprised the President was able to implement the Free SHS policy, restore the nursing and teacher trainee allowances, and the programme for Planting for Food and Jobs, all within his first year of office.
With the event taking place at Tadzevu, in the Ketu North constituency, Torgbui Adrakpanya VI also expressed the 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 government has upgraded some districts into municipalities, including Ketu North.
They, therefore, used the opportunity of the President’s visit to thank him for the creation of the new municipality, and urged him to consider the creation of a new Ketu West District “for faster development of the area”.
Amongst others, Torgbui Adrakpanya VI requested for the establishment of a University of Agriculture in the area to “train young people to provide the human resource in the agriculture and food processing sectors to meet the aspiration of your policy for Planting for Food and Jobs”, and the setting up of a Traditional Council “to facilitate easy administration of the traditional affairs”.