You can’t win them this time; Volta Region suffered during 8 years of NDC rule – Rawlings bemoans
You can’t win them this time: The founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress has taken a swipe at the party for neglecting the people of the Volta Region during their time in power.
Former President Rawlings believes the level of underdevelopment and slow-paced growth witnessed in the Region, particularly, the northern part of the region deepened their desire to made autonomous.
The creation of the Oti Region, he suggested was a result of the neglect that the people of northern Volta had endured during the Mills-Mahama 8-year administration of the country.
“Some Cadres came to see me about the division that was about to take place, serious-minded people like you to come and see me in this issue obviously expect me to also say something about it” Former President Rawlings asserted when he addressed a gathering of Cadres in Kumasi.
“They suffered there for almost eight years, didn’t you think a politician will take advantage of this situation,” the founder of the NDC went on to say, ABC News can report.
Addressing the National Cadres Conference in Kumasi, under the theme’ “Effective Mobilization and Organisation for Victory 2020: The Role of Cadres’, Rawlings explained that some influential people from the Volta Region implored him to step in and ensure the region wasn’t divided.
Despite heeding to their plea, the former President admitted there was only so much he could do since the neglect of the party had made them adamant on becoming a region.
“Of course. Yes, that was the reality they all kept quiet throughout. Nobody authored a word. I did what I could,” he divulged.
Oti Region is one of 6 new regions created under the Akufo-Addo government after petitions were received from Chiefs and traditional authorities and opinion leaders.
Oti Region was carved out of the Volta Region but faced stiff opposition from some traditional authorities in Akpafu and Lolobi.
Despite the resistance, the inhabitants voted overwhelming to support the creation of the new region in the referendum organised by the Electoral Commission.
