SADA is one of the saddest stories in Ghana's history - Akufo Addo

The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has described the Savannah Acceleration Development Authority (SADA) as one of the saddest developments in the 58-year history of Ghana, especially in the time of President John Mahama, a leader of Northern origin.

Nana Akufo-Addo made this known when he began his 2-day tour of the Upper West Region, at a meeting of regional and constituency executives, as well as all the newly elected parliamentary candidates and their competitors from the region.With farming being the predominant economic activity undertaken by the people of the Upper West, and indeed the entire Northern Region, the NPP flagbearer indicated that “a Ghana where there is going to be year round agriculture” will become a reality under his government. “If Burkina Faso can have year-long agriculture, so can Ghana and the Upper West Region. There is no magic to it. It is proper planning, competent implementation and above all, honest leadership. That is what we are offering the people of Ghana,” he said. This proposal, according to Nana Akufo-Addo said with certainty, will be scoffed at by President John Mahama and his NDC government.“The proposal of year round agriculture, I am sure the current President will laugh at it. When I suggested the idea of Northern Development Authority and Northern Development Fund in 2008, he laughed at it. He said if I can find any monies for the Northern Development Fund, I should use that to pay the debts of VRA. When they came to power, they decided it was a good idea after all and brought us SADA,” Nana Akufo-Addo recounted. He continued, “It is one of the saddest developments in the history of our country, especially in the time of a leader of Northern origin. I want to assure the people of the Upper West and the entire Northern sector that if I am given the mandate, SADA will be properly implemented for the 3 Northern Regions. It will not become a vehicle for corruption and mismanagement. It will become the vehicle for which it was intended to be – a means of accelerating the development of the 3 northern regions of our country and bridging the gap between the North and the South.”To ensure the realisation of this vision, Nana Akufo-Addo urged all NPP members to work hard for victory in 2016. “This vision we have for our future, it cannot take place unless we win the election of 2016 and for that to happen we must have co-operation amongst ourselves. That is why I am here, to encourage all of you who hold the party at the base that you have to find a basis for co-operation, because that is the only way we can construct the building for victory. I am happy to see that several of the people who competed in the parliamentary primaries are here, supporting the exercise and giving ourselves a chance at winning the election of 2016,” he added.Nana Akufo-Addo also reminded the gathering of the commitment made by the Chairman for Wa Central, Ali Kamara, who indicated that the party is poised to win 50% of the popular vote in the Upper West Region, up from the 40% the party chalked in 2008. We intend to do 50/50 in the Upper West Region.“It is time for the NPP to reclaim its heritage in the Upper West. This is the home of the great ancestors of our party – B.K. Adama, Jato Kaleo, Abaayifa Karbo, Mumuni Dimbie and, above all, of Simon Duuri Dombo. These are the men whose vision and sacrifice made possible our tradition. It is time that we honour them again with victory in the Upper West and victory in Ghana,” he said. He was accompanied by the National Women’s Organiser, Otiko Afisa Djaba; former Minister of State under President Kufuor, Elizabeth Ohene; Campaign Aides, Iddrisu Musah ‘Superior’ and Pius Hadzide; Political Assistant, Francis Asenso-Boakye, together with regional stalwarts like Hon. Ambrose Dery, former Upper West Regional Minister and former Deputy Minority Leader and currently parliamentary candidate for Nandom; Anthony Abaayifa Karbo, former National Youth Organiser and currently parliamentary candidate for Lawra; and Alhaji Hafiz Bin Salih, acting Upper West Regional Chairman.