A three days stakeholders conference under the auspices of Members of Parliament from the Volta region ( Volta MPs Caucus) is underway at the Volta Regional capital Ho.
The bipartisan forum aimed at chatting a pathway to harness the human and capital resource potentials for rapid development of the region.
Chairman of the Volta MPs Caucus, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah in a welcome address said the conference is expected to provide an opportunity for Stakeholders especially the MPs and business leaders from the regi to take stock and brainstorm for the efficient development of the region.
Two important issues including infrastructure and human development is expected to take centre stage in the discussion from the perspective of government and opposition.
Mr Bedzrah who is also MP for Ho West urged the need for the exploits of the forebears to inspire the current generation of citizens on for greater development of the region.
Some urgent infrastructure and human challenges confronting the region include the poor nature of the trunk road after the Adomi Bridge to the regional capital, Ho, the eastern corridor road network, the security threat posed by youth unemployment and the non operationalisation of the Ho Airport five years on after it’s completion.
Other challenges are the lack of requisite equipment for the effective functioning of the Ho Teaching Hospital, the forgotten Keta Port project, the untapped tourism potential of the region, underutilised arable lands and Water bodies for agriculture purposes.
Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah expressed the hope that through effective collaboration, much can be achieve is minimising the challenges.
“These and many challenges facing the region can be tackled if we grab the bull by its horns through effective and sustained collaborative efforts such as the one we are having today. I am confident in our collective energies that we are capable of rewriting the score and impacting the lives of our people” he stated.
The special guest for the conference was Fiaga of the Anfoega Traditional Area and President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbega Tepre Hodo IV expressed his happiness about the event stating the region will witness the much needed development it requires as a result.
He urged the Volta MPs to do away with all partisanship and think about the development of the region.
The Chief who bemoaned the lack of collaboration between Chiefs, MPs and Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) which hinder the development of the Volta region and urged the urgent need for improved relationship irrespective of party affiliation.
The Fiaga of Anfoega Traditional Area also express worry on the non involvement of chiefs in projects in their areas and calls for the chatting of a new course.
Togbega Tepre Hodo IV urged calls for the need for quality individuals to be appointed into positions at the local governance level to better serve the interest of their people.
He proposed the use of the Ho Airport as a West African sub-regional flight hub to attract the needed benefit to the region and the country as a whole.
The Paramount Chief (Fiaga) of Battor, Togbega Patamia Dzekley I who chaired the event urged both all stakeholders irrespective of their political affiliation to act as one family in the interest of the region.
He noted that resources of the region cannot be harness for development if they are development if they are devided along political lines.
Togbega assured of the continuous support of the Regional House of Chiefs to help achieve the full potential of the Volta region.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa assured of the total support of his outfit to the initiative and stated that the people of the region becomes happy whenever they see all irrespective of their political persuasion fight for the development of the region.
He expressed the hope that a lot can be achieve if they work together with a common destiny.
Dr Archibald Letsa hinted that the Volta Trade and Investment Fair will be held from 15th-28th November 2021 and expressed appreciation to all Volta MPs and the Volta Development Forum for the level of corporation and support offered him.
Minister for Railways Development John Peter Amewu made a presentation on the policy direction of his ministry and the benefits therein for the Volta region.
According to him, most town in the region will benefit from the current railways development project.
Politics he said is all about development and urged the need for collaboration between political parties to promote the progress of the region.
The conference is expected to issue acommunique on the development of the region at the end of the engagement.
Benjamin Kpodo, MP for Ho prayed for God’s guidance so that the time and resources spent in organising the conference would not be in vain.