News:
April 14, 2023
Aspirant in the flagbearership race for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwabena Agyei Agyepong said he believes the capital of Ghana should be relocated from Accra in the wake of population explosion.
According to him he made this suggestion to former President John Agyekum Kufuor way back in 2006 more especially when the country worn the bid to host CAN 2008 and AU conference.
“If I had my own way there is a place between Kintampo and Salaga; there is a big space very close to the Volta River that can be a very prime area for the capital of Ghana; we could move the Jubilee House there; the new Tamale Stadium we could have built it there”.
Explaining further, he stated that the AU buildings in Cantonment could have been put up there being a new capital then you plan it properly with all the roads, avenue with everything properly schemed up; that is how you begin a new human settlement, he said.
Engineer Agyepong, emphasised the need for Ghana to change its human settlement, saying, if you take Accra right now it has to be regenerated even the urban population the way we live is not the best before God as our standard of living is very low not in terms of money but just the way we live; the neatness of our surroundings, making sure the street are properly laid when we are designing an area, if this is a church avenue, we should have playground, this place is for recreational.
“We need to stick to a plan, which does not happen in Ghana. Today you have mix development, you are there then they come a pull down a building and put up a church; all those things we can ensure that the needed rules and plans are followed”.
He cited Nigeria as a good example where they have Lagos as their commercial capital and political capital in Abuja.
When questioned by Ghanamps.com if the issue of relocating Ghana’s capital should become a topical political issue, he noted that he would not push it to look for votes but rather things should be such a way that everybody in Ghana should feel being part of the country – Ghana. For example why should we have cocoa processing factory in Tema and not in areas like Hohoe or Sehwi?
He queried the impact of the tree crops authority to the country since its establishment some three years ago.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com