President inaugurates Akim Oda market

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Wednesday inaugurated a reconstructed market at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region after the old one was destroyed by fire in September 2021.

The new market, which was financed by the District Assemblies Common Fund, comprises 272 lockable stores, 510 stalls, two banking halls, a clinic, a pharmacy, a restaurant, a mini mart, a day care centre, and an office for the Ghana National Fire Service, among other facilities.

Present at the event were the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku State, Oseadieyo Dr Frimpong Manso IV; the Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, and the Minister of Works and Housing, Kwadwo Oppong Nkrumah.

The rest were the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong; a Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah; the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat, Naa Torshie Addo, and some legislators and Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region.

President Akufo-Addo advised traders in the new market to take proper care of the facility by keeping it tidy at all times and also ensure its regular maintenance.

Vote Bawumia

The President entreated the people to cast their votes for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate in the December 7 general election , Dr Mahamudu Bawumia,  to continue with his good works.

"Dr Bawumia is the only loyal person who can lead the nation into the industrial revolution to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth," he said.

He also advised the electorate to cast their votes for all NPP parliamentary candidates to enable the party to occupy the majority of seats in Parliament next year.

Free SHS

On free SHS, President Akufo-Addo said he implemented the programme in 2017 to develop the human resources of the country for accelerated development.

He explained that upon assumption of office in 2017, more than 100,000 children could not attend SHS for over 10 years due to the poor financial background of their parents.

However, since its introduction, about 5.7 million people have so far benefited from the programme.

The President added that as many as 160,000 students were enrolled in the free SHS this academic year, adding that the programme had also improved the quality of education, as a result, he said the WASSCE results last year were the best in the country's history.

President Akufo-Addo further said that currently, the only requirement for a student to access a loan was the Ghana Card and not guarantors.

He thanked the three Akyem States of Kotoku, Abuakwa and Bosome, for their support in his almost eight-year tenure in office.

Appreciation

Mr Osafo-Maafo thanked the government for the reconstruction of the market, which he said was the best in the region.

The MP for Oda, Akwasi Acquah, gave the assurance that the constituency would give Dr Bawumia 90 per cent votes to enhance his chances of emerging victorious in the election.

The Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku State, Oseadieyo Dr Frimpong Manso, also expressed appreciation to Nana Akufo-Addo for his commitment to the development of Oda in particular, and the country in general.