The 2024 Presidential election is special and historic. For the first time in Ghana's election history, in the 4th Republic, the two leading candidates, representing the two leading political parties, all come from the northern part of the country.

One of them, John Dramani Mahama, was President between 2012 and 2017 after serving as Vice President from 2009 to 2012.

The other,  Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has never been President. However, he has been Vice President in Nana Akufo-Addo's government since 2017.

No matter what happens, one will emerge as President, making the northern region a battleground for the 2024 presidential election.

A few years ago, before  Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's emergence into the fold of the NPP and the political scene, the northern permutations in Ghana's general elections would not have been an issue at all for the NDC.

The entire north used to be a fortress of the NDC. However, things have changed dramatically, especially in the last two elections.

The emergence of Bawumia, first as a running mate and then as Vice President, has significantly changed the northern political dynamics, much to the disadvantage of John Mahama and the NDC.

With Dr. Bawumia as the main man this time, following his historic election by the NPP as its first-ever Flagbearer from the north, some believe the northern political permutations appear increasingly bleak for the NDC.

Another factor that former President Mahama and the NDC have to contend with is the level of infrastructure and development projects the NPP is believed to have brought to the north since 2017 through the interventions of Dr. Bawumia as Vice President.

Below are 10 of such projects that may negatively impact the electoral fortunes of former President Mahama and the NDC in December's elections, especially in the face of increasing accusations by the Bawumia campaign that Mahama, as President, cannot name a single of such monumental projects he brought to the north.

1.Bolga - Bawku road:

The 117 km stretch is one of the most significant roads in the north, linking and serving as many as five constituencies and several communities.

Despite its social and economic significance, this road attracted lip service from previous governments for years until the Akufo-Addo government committed to it. Before contractors got on the road to start work, it became unmotorable after a heavy downpour submerged it and divided it into two.

Now, a significant portion of the road, about 70km, is done and open to traffic. In addition to the road, two main bridges, the Kulaa Bridge and the Tilli Bridge over the Red Volta, are at various stages of completion.

The importance of this road cannot be overstated, as it serves the Bolga Central, Bolga East, Nabdam, Zebilla, Binduri, Bawku Central and Pusiga constituencies.

Its impact on the 2024 elections, particularly in the Northern region, is significant because Dr. Bawumia is being credited for facilitating its progress.

2. Tamale - Yendi - Tatale road:


Another mega road project in the north, which the NPP can claim under Dr. Bawumia's watch as Vice President, is the 160km Tamale-Yendi-Tatale road.

For decades, what was supposed to be a highway was reduced to a dusty and bumpy road, which frustrated several people from that part of the north. In fact, in Ghana's history, the Yendi-Tatale stretch of the road had never been tarred.

But that was then; two years ago,  Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cut the sod for the construction of the road, and he gave a two-year time frame for completion.

Two years later, the road is now an express lane, significantly reducing the travel time from Tatale to Tamale from 6 to 2 hours.

Again, this road network serves constituencies such as Savelugu, Mion, Gushegu, Karaga, and Tatale, as well as several communities and businesses.

With Dr. Bawumia touted as a key architect of the road's construction and its ancillary facilities, which have positively impacted several communities and the people, the NPP and Bawumia stand to benefit as constituents will most likely reward them for such a historic mega project.

3. The Tamale interchange :


Interchanges in Ghana used to be synonymous with the capital, Accra, so much so that building one in Kumasi, Ghana's second-biggest city, was a big deal.

Therefore, an interchange in the north was unheard of. The biggest city in the north, Tamale, has an interchange that is proudly and precisely labelled "the first-ever interchange in the north."

This can be credited to the NPP despite the NDC receiving the most votes and Parliamentary seats from the Northern region and the Tamale political enclave.

Again, Vice President Bawumia, the NPP's Flagbearer for the 2024 elections, was deeply involved in making the Tamale interchange possible. This was financed through the Synohydro barter deal with China, which he spearheaded.

The interchange is significantly impacting traffic control in Tamale and beautifying the city. Surely, many residents in and out of Tamale will have it on their minds.

4. Mishio bridge:

If the Yagaba Kubore Constituency is nicknamed "Overseas," it is because of the terrible road network leading to it and how the community is completely cut off from the rest of Ghana during rainy seasons due to floods.

The roads become unmotorable for weeks due to flood water, and the communities become inaccessible, hence the name overseas.

However, after years of neglect, the Akufo-Addo government came up with the mega Mishio bridge project, which has significantly advanced.

As part of the bridge's construction, roads linking the bridge and other communities are also under construction.

Again, Vice President Bawumia is believed to be at the forefront of this project, which gives him a huge advantage over former President Mahama in the 2024 elections.

5. Tamale International Airport :

The Tamale International Airport used to be a military airport, and the erstwhile NDC government extended the runway by 1 km and fenced it, which was termed Phase 1.

However, the Akufo-Addo government has taken the shine after building a new airport near the old one in Phase 2 of the project.

The new Tamale International Airport, commissioned two years ago, boasts a multipurpose Hajj terminal, a VIP lounge, two boarding gates, self-service check-in kiosks, airline offices, a commercial retail area, and ancillary facilities such as a 5km single carriageway access road, a 330-capacity car park, a technical hub to manage electricity, wastewater treatment, and others.

Dr. Bawumia is directly involved in the new Tamale International Airport Phase II project, like the other northern projects.

After securing funding through the Ghana-UK Business, which was established in 2018, and he became a Co-chair, Dr. Bawumia, on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, cut the sod for the commencement of the project in 2019.

Dr Bawumia, who broke ground on August 15, 2019, for work to begin on the project, expressed delight that the Tamale International Airport Phase II project has been completed four years on.

This is another mega northern project with Bawumia written all over it, and it can significantly impact voters in 2024.

6. Zipline Centre in Vobsi:

The Zipline Drone Delivery Centre in Vobsi, in the North East Region, is one of six centres strategically positioned nationwide to deliver essential medical supplies in real time to health facilities in remote areas.

The Vobsi centre caters for about 500 health facilities in remote areas in the five northern regions. It has been a game-changer and a welcome relief to tens of thousands of people in the north, who have been saved by the drones delivering essential medical supplies during emergency health situations.

Again, the Zipline drone has Bawumia written all over it. When he proposed it, the NDC kicked against it, saying the drones were meant to take pictures of naked women. Now, the NDC and Mahama will have to battle Bawumia, knowing how the drone delivery service has impacted the north and the entire country.

7. Agenda 111 hospitals :

The Agenda 111 Hospitals the Akufo-Addo government is building for districts without district hospitals is turning out to be one of the greatest health interventions by any government in the country's history. As many as 28 districts in the five northern regions are without district hospitals, and all are getting one.

Fortunately for the districts, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has shown commitment to the projects, and most of them, along with many others across the country, are nearing completion.

Healthcare is extremely important to the people. Dr. Bawumia has been telling the people in the north how Agenda 111 is his vision and how he sold the idea to President Akufo-Addo to implement.

8. One constituency one ambulance:

Bawumia stands to gain here, too, as he has been credited with being the brain behind the Akufo-Addo government's One Constituency One Ambulance intervention.

Imagine an emergency in a remote facility in Chereponi, Zabzugu, Daboya, or Yagaba requiring an urgent visit to Tamale or the nearest biggest health facility, but without an ambulance.

That was the dire situation many northern communities found themselves in before the distribution of an ambulance to serve each constituency/district in the north and the entire country.

A few years after the distribution, many continue to feel the impact due to the essential service it provides and the visibility of the ambulances.

As long as the ambulances continue to serve the people, their proud inscriptions will continue to remind beneficiaries of those who have shown interest in their welfare.

9. Inclusive projects through NDA:

One key advantage for the NPP and Dr. Bawumia is that it has telling development projects in all five northern regions and constituencies through the Northern Development Authority, which the Akufo-Addo government established as a vehicle for the development of the north.

According to the government, the NDA has completed over 900 projects across the five northern regions.

From dams, astro turfs, electrification projects, inner city roads, inter-city roads, fire service training schools, bridges, feeder roads, regional administration blocks in the new regions—Savannah and North East, to classroom blocks, health facilities, and many more, the NPP and Dr. Bawumia have several projects to cite across the north.

Much to the advantage of Bawumia, traditional authorities in various parts of the regions often list these projects in appreciation of the government.

In fact, Dr. Bawumia is so sure of the projects the NPP has provided in the five northern regions that he often challenges former President Mahama to name what he did for the north as President.

10. Free SHS:

Free SHS is, without a doubt, the biggest social intervention by any government in the north and Ghana since independence.

Data show that it has positively impacted every household in the northern regions, which are undoubtedly the biggest beneficiaries.

With the north registering the biggest SHS enrollment since the introduction of Free SHS, its impact cannot be underestimated.

The fact that the NDC and Mahama want to associate with its success underlines its importance to this year's elections.

Free SHS remains the NPP's trump card in this year's election in the north and throughout the country.

Source: Ghana Web
 

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