The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Bono East Regional Communications Directorate has expressed deep concern over the increasing levels of armed robbery attacks along the Atebubu to Kwame-Danso and Prang roads. 

The party emphasised the critical importance of security for the Bono East Region and the safety of its residents.

In a statement dated November 14, 2023, and signed by the Regional Communications Director, Suleman Mohammed-Mustapha, the NDC highlighted the vulnerability of these roads due to their poor conditions, providing armed robbers with a conducive environment for their criminal activities.

The statement recalled several incidents of insecurity, including the gruesome murder of a serving military officer in May 2021 on the Prang-Abease road, and the killing of an ICT teacher in July 2021 on the Atebubu to Kwame Danso route. 

The NDC also cited cases of robbery attacks resulting in fatalities and injuries, including the murder of a headmaster, a Sprinter Benz driver, and the shooting of a driver in June 2022.

Furthermore, the statement mentioned the murders of two Mobile Money vendors on July 25, 2023, by suspected armed robbers who made away with valuable items. 

The NDC also raised concerns about an incident during the limited voters' registration in Techiman South, where NPP supporters allegedly assaulted two police officers from the Police Intelligence Department (PID). According to the NDC, the assault occurred when a PID officer attempted to film a dispute between an NDC and NPP member. 

The NPP supporters reportedly attacked the police officer, seized his firearm, and handed it over to the Bono East NPP Regional Secretary, Mr David Boakye.

The statement questioned the progress of the investigation into the incident, emphasising the need for arrests and prosecutions to serve as a deterrent against such acts of violence.

The NDC called on the Ghana Police Service in Bono East to provide updates on the outcome of their investigation.

Below is the full statement: 

BONO EAST REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU - RCB MOMENT OF TRUTH SERIES PRESS STATEMENT BY BONO EAST REGION NDC COMMUNICATION BUREAU ON THE DEPLORABLE STATE OF THE REGION UNDER THE WATCH OF NANA ADDO / ALHAJI BAWUMIA.

 I wish to on behalf of the Regional Functional Executive Committee (RFEC) under the auspices of the Communication Bureau welcome you all to this very important media encounter.

Indeed, in light of the current turbulent and bizarre economic situation being faced by Ghanaians and of course the people of Bono East region, we view the responsibility of contributing to holding this government to task not only a social responsibility but a duty imposed on us by Ghanaians by virtue of the fact that, the NDC has become their only source of hope. 

Also, in view of the fact that the NPP recently held their presidential primaries which they elected Alhaji Mahamud Bawumia as their flag bearer and as a result had the opportunity to tour the country including Bono East region, there is no opportune time to point to them their abysmal performance than now.

I have personally spotted Alhaji Bawumia's convoy toured the region to canvas for vote and same can be said about Kennedy Agyapong. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,

Fellow RFEC Members, Communicators and Party faithfuls gathered here, let me not waste time but zoom straight into the reasons that necessitated this meeting. For purposes of clarity and for easy verification, we have grouped the issues in sectorial basis.

STATE OF ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE

Before His Excellency John Dramami Mahama and NDC left power in 2017, all key roads linking towns and villages in the region saw a facelift.

Key roads like Jema Nkwanta to Nkoranza, Kintampo Magazine to Krabonso, Asekyere to Basua in the Nkoranza North District, Tuobodom to Ofuman and others were either completed or over 90% complete.

Other roads such as Kintampo to Apesika to Prang road, Atebubu to Kwame Danso, Amoma Nkwanta to Amoma road, Kintampo to New Longoro road ....... were awarded on contracts and at various levels of completion.

It is sad to note however that, with the exception of Kintampo to Apesika to Prang road which we have noted the return of contractors to site few months ago, the rest of the roads, I can report have been left the way they were in 2017.

That notwithstanding, several other important roads some of which are town 3 roads, feeder roads as well as trunk roads have all become immotarable and needs urgent attention notably: NKORANZA NORTH DISTRICT Busunya town roads, Tanko - Fiama road, Kranka - Yefri road, Buabeng - Busunya road all in Nkoranza North District.

PRU EAST DISTRICT

Again in Yeji, the Nana Addo Bawumia government cut sod in 2018 for the construction of 8km Yeji Town Roads. Unfortunately, they went away after the sod cutting and never returned. Other roads in the District which need urgent attention include, Chalewote Lane Road, Konkomba Road as well Prison Camp Road.

Let me add also that, the Yeji - Atebubu road be it important as it is, is fast becoming a death trap and need quick fix.

PRU WEST DISTRICT Pru West District is another hard hit area when it comes to deplorable road network.

Just like those mentioned supra, virtually all the roads except the one that comes through Prang from Atebubu area, the rest of the roads in the District are nothing to ride home about.

SENE WEST DISTRICT

Friends from the media, ladies and Gentlemen, let us do a quick check from Sene West, I mean Kwame Danso and its environs. Since NPP took over in 2017 after luring Ghanaians into voting for them, that stretch of the region from 4 Atebubu through Kwame Danso, Basa to Kajeji had only one thing that they consistently prayed for and that is the road.

Indeed as I stated earlier the road was awarded on contract and work had commenced significantly from the post Kwame Danso stretch towards Kajeji. Sadly and disappointedly, work on the road has stalled since NPP took over power.

In same vain, the inner roads within Kwame Danso is also in a terrible state. Imagine JM were still in power!

That road would have been a first class road as was envisaged.

ATEBUBU - AMANTEN DISTRICT Still on road network, Atebubu - Amanten Town Roads has no better story than those enumerated above. Mention any key road in the District and the story is same. From the town roads, Atebubu - Kunfia Road, Atebubu - Watro Road etc. are all virtually immotarable.

KINTAMPO NORTH MUNICIPAL Fellow comrades ladies and gentlemen gathered here, let me take you to the northeastern part of Bono East region, that's Kintampo North and South. Without any fear of any contradiction I can state that, Kintampo town roads are the worse in the region and probably the whole country.

Since NPP took over power, Kintampo has not benefited a single kilometer of road. Even reshaping which during JMs time was done frequently, has eluded the good people of Kintampo Township. Again, the road from Ntankoro to Kunsu is in a sorrowful state.

People in that area regularly organizes communal labour to 5 work on road before they can transport their farm produce to the Kintampo market and beyond. KINTAMPO SOUTH DISTRICT The story in Kintampo South is not different from Kintampo North.

The road between Kintampo Magazine and Krabonso had been worked on and the first coat of bitumen applied.

It was expected that a second coat of bitumen would be applied to complete the road however, when JM left office, the road was abandoned. As we speak now, the potholes on the road can cause a pregnant woman to forcefully deliver prematurely.

And of course the popular Amoma Nkwanta to Amoma road, you recalled that, the women in Amoma in somewhere 2020, lamented how they were not getting husband's to marry because of their terrible road.

This story was carried by notable TV stations such as UTV and Adom TV.

I'm sad to report that, the story of the Amoma road hasn't changed the slightest, infact it is worse now.

Other roads in the District such as MO area roads, Jema Town Roads, Jema to Cherihin Road and many others falls within same trajectory.

EDUCATION Education has been the bedrock of developed countries and Ghana being a developing country needs to take her education serious if only we want to meet the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN by the Year 2030.

The Bono East Region is experiencing excruciating hardship, deprivation and neglect when in terms of education. Shortfalls in education in the region ranges from lack of classrooms, dormitories, textbooks, feeding, payment of unapproved fees and others.

6 1. CLASSROOM It is still fresh in our minds the unwarranted death of eight (8) learners when their boat capsized during their voyage to school from Atikagome to Wayokope in the Sene East Constituency.

This disaster could have been avoided if there was a classroom block in their community for them to school. The six classroom block project at Dobidi Nkwanta in the Atebubu Amantin Constituency has been abandoned by the NPP led administration for seven (7) good years leaving learners to study under trees. Academic activities are always truncated whenever the weather becomes cloudy.

The people of Nkoranza South are yearning for the governance of the Nation Builder: His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to come to power to continue the E - Block Project which has been abandoned by the Nana – Bawumia administration at Donkoro Nkwanta. The project is currently housing dangerous reptiles which inhabitants of Donkoro Nkwanta have been battling with on daily basis.

The good people of Anyima in the Kintampo South are also facing the same predicament as their brethren in Donkoro Nkwanta in Nkoranza South.

The abandoning of the E-block project has made inhabitants to access Senior High Education in the District Capital which situates Jema Senior High School which is about Kilometers from Anyima.

Making access to Secondary Education a difficulty thereby defeating the purpose for Community Day Schools.

7 2. FEEDING Feeding of our learners in schools is one of the most important components of education without which the academic learning time of our wards would be wasteful.

The Free SHS policy came with a so - called “One Hot Meal" component for all day Students.

Unfortunately students of Kesse Basahyia SHS in Forikrom a suburb in the Techiman Municipal of the Bono East Capital have to live with empty stomach as a result of the gross incompetence and ineptitude of the Nana Addo / Bawumia administration.

The caterer was not paid since September 2021 hence abandoned the contract in December, 2023.

The current caterer in the person of Madam Charity Saah Adjei who is the wife of former MP for Nkoranza North Hon. Amoateng is also struggling with debt of suppliers due to a whole year service without payment.

In view of this, students could go hungry for some days as a result of the caterers refusing to provide meals for them and not fault of the caterers but due to the recklessness and carelessness of the Nana Addo Bawumia led Administration.

Senior High Schools in the Bono East Region has resorted to food batter trade where Headmasters exchange cooking oil for rice, sugar for beans, gari for salt, yam for groundnut, keta school boys for dawadawa and others.

Students in some Seniors High Schools have to grapple with feeding on porridge without sugar for breakfast and lunch. ]

The little supply that comes is also stolen by party apparatchiks where they are shielded against the law taking its course. A typical example is the stealing of food items supplied to the Atebubu S.H.S. and Konkrompe Community Day S.H.S.

which was stolen by the store keepers, driver and a labourer which was corroborated by the MCE for Atebubu and later the MCE abandoned the case 8 where all accomplices are walking as free citizens.

The NDC would like to remind such criminals that crime has no expiry date hence the NDC in 2025 will pursue this theft case to its logical conclusion. Insha Allah. ]

3. CHARGING OF UNAPPROVES FEES Due to the visionless and ineptitude of Nana Addo Administration, reneging on their responsibility of prompt payment of fee components of free S.H.S.

is a daily activity.

For public consumption is the happenings in Akumfi Ameyaw S.H.S. / Tewchnical in the Techiman North District.

The Headmaster who doubles as Regional Chairman of Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High School is charging an unapproved fees. Mr. Douglas Nyaman charged the final year students of the 2021 academic year an amount of Twenty Ghana Cedis (20 GHS) as clearance fee.

The issue was reported to authorities.

The BNI investigated the issue and ordered that the monies should be refunded to the final year students. As at now the orders has not be followed.

Last month, the same headmaster took an arbitrary decision to charge first year students of Akumfi Amayaw SHS / Technical the following fees: 1. P.T.A – 60.00 GHS 2. Furniture and wall Maintenance 200 GHS

3. Printing Machine - 50 GHS

4. Hymn Book – 50 GHS All complains and cry of parents and stakeholders has fallen on death ears of the government due to the headmaster being a darling boy of the government.

The same District inhabits Krobo Nursing Training College.

First Year Students, are forced to purchase ten (10) bags of cement before they are given admission if they do qualify.

This is making a lot of parents complain bitterly 9 about this policy which has come about as a result of the NPP government reneging on their responsibilities to provide building infrastructure to the school since 2017.

HEALTH AND SANITATION

The Techiman Municipal which doubles as the Bono East Regional Capital has been engulfed with filt and Sanitation problems as a result of the knee jerk approach to solving this problem.

The ineptitude and reckless administration of the Nana Adado / Bawumia led government watched on unconcerned for areas designated for refuse containers to be placed, dumped and evacuated to final disposal sites to turn into refuse dumping sites. After evacuating the refuse, they did not bring buck the refuse dump containers which has led to inhabitants keeping their waste material at their homes.

Some house holds Resort to throwing such waste material into running waters during raining days.

It is unhealthy and deadly since keeping such waste materials at various home could lead to outbreak of cholera and other diseases.

SECURITY

Security is imperative for Bono East as well as public safety for inhabitants of the Bono East Region.

It is on this note that we bemoan the rampant attacks by arm robbers on commuters of the Atebubu - Kwame Danso as well as Prang - Abease roads. Due to the bad nature of these roads armed robbers have taken these enclave to be a safe haven where they conduct their routine robbery attacks.

In May 2021, a serving Military Officer of 3 Battalion of Infantry - Liberation Barracks, Sunyani was gruesomely murdered by armed men on the Prang - Abease Road at a section called Ajaraja. In July, 2021 an ICT teacher 10 of Kajeji SDA JHS was murdered while the driver of the passenger vehicle sustained various degrees of injuries by armed robbers

This was not enough, in May 2021 armed robbers shot dead headmaster of Bantama SDA Primary School in the Sene West District. July 2021, a Sprinter Benz driver was shot dead through the wind screen before the robbers attacked the passengers and took away their belongings.

In June 2022, a driver was shot dead with one passenger sustaining gun wounds. On the 25th July, 2023 two Mobile Money vendors were murdered by suspected arm robbers and made away with phones and phone accessories worth thousands of cedis.

The NPP in Techiman South assaulted two Police officers belonging to the Police Intelligence Department - P.I.D. during the just ended limited voters registration at the EC’s Office in Techiman.

The incident occurred when the officer from the P.I.D. tried filming an ongoing misunderstanding between an NDC and NPP person.

This did not go down well by the NPP thugs and hooligans rushed on the serving police officer and manhandled him and took away his side arm from him and then handed over the weapon to Mr. David Boakye - the Bono East NPP Regional Secretary. The issue has been lodged with the Police administration.

Since the day of the incidence there has not been any arrest or prosecution of these hooligans to serve as deterrent to other political players. On this note the NDC in Bono East 11 is asking the Ghana Police Service in Bono East of the outcome their investigation in this act of violence against the state.

FLOODING AND DONATIONS.

The Akosombo Dam Spillage coupled with the heavy torrential rains of this year has had a devastated effect on some 112 Communities in four Constituencies in the Bono East region.

These affected Constituencies are Sene East, Sene West, Pru East and Kintampo North Constituencies. In the Sene East Constituency, One - Thousand One - Hundred And Ten (1,110) persons have been affected in Forty- Five (45) Communities with Five Communities totally submerged by the flood.

Sene West have Three - Thousand Three - Hundred and Twenty Four (3,324) of her population rendered homeless in Thirty - Seven (37) Communities followed by Pru East with Two - Thousand and Twelve (2,012) people displaced by the flood in Twenty - Eight (28) Communities with Five Communities totally wiped off by the flood.

The story of Kintampo North Constituency has not been different as Two Communities have been affected with about Eight - Hundred and Twenty (820) persons displaced by the Black Volta River.

The National Chairman of the NDC - Hon Johnson Asiedu Nketiah was accompanied by Hon. Alex Kofi Kyeremeh -:NDC National Treasurer, Hon Mohammed Kwaku Doku - National Deputy Coordinator for Logistics and Protocol, joined the Bono East Regional Chairman Hon. Unas Owusu, the Bono East Regional Executives of the NDC, Members of Parliament of the 12 affected communities, Constituency Executives of the flooding Constituencies and others to donate some relief items to the victims on behalf of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama who was in the United States on a working visit.

During the donations in the affected Communities, the team was joined by Hon. Dominic Napare MP for Sene East who doubles as the Parliamentary Candidate of the NDC for that Constituency, Hon. Doctor Kwabena Donkor of Pru East who doubles as the Leader of the Parliamentary Caucus in the region and Hon. Emmanuel Kwaku Boam the Parliamentary Candidate of Pru East to do the donations of the relief items in the various Constituencies.

However, Hon. Kwame Ampofo Twumasi who was on a National assignment outside the country was represented by Chairman Karim Mamud Napor - Constituency Chairman of NDC in Sene West to do the donations of the relief items on behalf of H.E. John Dramani Mahama and Mrs. Lordina Mahama who is a native of Bono East Region.

The donated relief Items included 1,500 mini bags of rice, 350 gallons of cooking oil, 350 boxes of Mackerel, 350 boxes of tin tomatoes (big size), 1,500 cartons of bottle water, 3,000 pieces of mosquito net and some pieces of wax print.

In another development, Hon. Unas Owusu - the Regional Chairman of the NDC established a committee to solicit for relief items all over the region and was able to gather 20 bails of used clothes (fose), 1,300 packs of sachet water, 90 "size 5" sack of donated clothes, 250 pairs of sandals, Cooking Utensils, Children Wear, Baby Diapers and Sanitary Pads.

Hon. Unas Owusu further 13 made a personal donation of 400 pieces of Latex Foam student's mattress from his company to comfort these displaced persons by the flood.

A couple of weeks ago, the MP for Pru East who doubles as the leader of the Parliamentary Caucus in the region made a donation of Fifty - thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 50,000.00) to NADMO to purchase roofing sheets and food items to comfort the flood victims in Pru East.

The amount was made up of Thirty - thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 30,000.00) from the Social Intervention Fund of the MP and Twenty - thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 2,000.00) being his personal money.

In a related development, Hon. Emmanuel Kwaku Boam - Parliamentary Candidate for Pru East has launched an Appeal for Fund to get donation of relief items for the suffering masses in Pru East after visiting these areas and donating 5 packets of roofing sheets, 125Kg of tick poly rubber for their temporal tents used as place of abode.

The appeal for fund has so far received support as Accra FM donated 100 packs of sachet water.

The second phase of the donation is scheduled to take place on the 17/11/2023 at Kintampo North Constituency.

YOUTH AND SPORTS

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy as the saying goes.

The modern playground for Ghana's favourite game which is football is the astroturf. 14 Unfortunately, Bono East is deprived of this facility though it is dotted across some regions.

Pru East, the only District with an astroturf has a rather sad story.

After handing over the construction of the Yeji Astroturf to the District Assembly which was constructed by the then Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development in partnership with Arab Afro in 2021, little did inhabitants of Pru East realize that the edifice was a shambolic one constructed with inferior materials and poorly designed which could not stand the test of time. After a year and some months of usage, the Astroturf in Yeji has been closed down in February 2023 for reasons best known to the District Assembly rendering its purpose useless.

ASTROTURF PROJECT IN KWAME DANSO

1.The project is one of the projects of the Middle Belt Development Authority (M.B.D.A.) in the region.

The contract was awarded prior to the 2020 elections.

2. The project out of propaganda was skewed in favour of the then NPP Parliamentary Candidate to mean that he was executing the project.

All the credit was attributed to him as if he was the source of funding. No mention was even made about the President, his representative the DCE or even the MBDA.

Meanwhile the then NPP PC was neither an officer of the M.B.D.A. nor a partner.

3. Right after the NPP's loss in the Constituency elections, the project has been left to rot.

NDC Communicators and Serial Callers in August 21st 2022 organized a communal labour to clear the bushy area which had become a 15 warehouse for predators like snakes because the place is just in front of a school (D/A No. 1 JHS)

4. Three (3) years after the contractor left site citing government's inability to pay him for certificates raised, he has not returned on site.

The wilful attitude of the Techiman North DCE to impede development projects championed by the abled MP for the Techiman North Constituency; Hon Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, has been noticed.

The case in point is the MP's lobbied projects in the constituency such as the Tuobodom traffic light, Tanoboase and Buoyem Tourism projects as well as the Ghana Gas water and sanitation projects.

He is gradually becoming an agent of anti-development.

In summing up, Ladies and Gentlemen, friends from the media, with these sorrowful state of the region, it is not surprising for Bono East to be ranked 15th out of 16 Regions according to the 2022 Local Government Appraisal of RCCs, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

It is the prayer of the people of Bono East that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama will win the 2024 elections to come and save them from this wicked leadership of the Nana Addo-Bawumia Government.