Yesterday the maiden edition of the Volta Dialogue was held in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho.
The dialogue summoned various speakers and participants from Parliament to our local market women to engage in a serious interactive dialogue and strategic planning on what will soon become the Volta Development Agenda.
I can never forget the remarks of Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who admitted at the dialogue that if Volta hasn’t seen its fair share of development as it should then the best way to turn things around is NOT by seceding from the unitary Ghana but rather let the people gather in a consultative manner and dialogue on how to turn the fortunes around for the good people of Volta Region.
Speakers at the dialogue were Leslie Tamakloe, an industrious businessman and a proud son of Volta, Lawyer Kofi Afenu, a Mineral Economist and a lawyer also proud son of the region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a representative of Volta Region MPs Caucus and the Global Strategist, Dr.Jerry K Mondfant.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dr.Jerry Mondfant, is a US trained Economic Strategist who has been a consultant to the World Bank and IMF on several projects was brought to the program to assist in the developing a clear strategy and for industrialising the Region to create sustainable wealth for the people of Volta .
This is the most challenging program we have organised at ASEPA, the hurdle to secure funding for this very important program was never crossed.(Sadly)
The lack of support from some stakeholders because they thought this whole program was put together to project somebody or to advance someone’s political agenda was very discouraging to me personally and finally the Political hurdle where the government of the day felt that we were in the Volta region to incite the people of Volta against the government for neglecting them in the National budget was also another challenging situation for us and the government officials in the region didn’t mince any move when on the eve of the program at Ho Technical University, the Dean of student of HTU was ordered to cancel our booking for the venue.
It took the intervention of former Transport Minister, Hon Dzifa Ativor to quickly secure us an alternative venue for the event.
(But we had officially invited the Regional Minister, the MCE of Ho, Regional Directors of State Agencies and some DCEs in the Region to the program)
The determination to organise this progran at all cost was never lost on me and the satisfaction on the people’s faces, the hope that was reignited in the region yesterday and the seed for Economic Transformation that was sown which i know will very much germinate into widespread prosperity for the people of Volta was very fulfilling and i cannot regret that.
My only compensation for the sleepless nights, the shuttles between Accra and Ho and the pile of debts left to settle after the program is the satisfaction and the hope that was rekindled in the people.
Once again the faith of the people of Volta in the Political class has been renewed and it is my hope that they take advantage of it and bring real development to the people.
The presentations of the Speakers will be put together and 20 years development plan will be carved out of it and presented to Togbui Afede and the Regional House of Chiefs who are the custodians of the land at a special event soon.
Every year this Volta Development Dialogue will be held to take accounts of what has been done so far and what more needs to be done.
We shall carve some key goals out this strategy and we will insist that it forms the basis of every government’s intervention in the Region.
Volta is never poor, when I see Volta, I see potential, I see growth, I see real Prosperity.
Volta can achieve all this and more if it unites behind a common vision and aspiration.
Time is now…
We appeal to all stakeholders, you don’t build anything by dividing it, you don’t develop a child by tearing it apart from its mother and what unites us is bigger than what divide us.
Volta shall rise and Ghana shall succeed!
Mensah Thompson
Executive Director, ASEPA
0542120628