President Mahama promises airstrip, stadium for Western North Region
President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to provide an airstrip and a regional stadium for the Western North Region as part of efforts to improve infrastructure and expand access to essential services across the country.
He said the airstrip would facilitate emergency air transport, including medical evacuations, while the stadium would provide the region with modern sports infrastructure.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the Western North Regional House of Chiefs at the Presidency, President Mahama explained that the government intended to provide airstrips in regions without existing airports to address emergencies requiring air transportation.
“We are also going to provide an airstrip in every region that does not already have an airport. Sometimes there are emergencies, and sometimes medical evacuations are necessary,” he said.
According to the President, the proposed airstrips would be approximately two kilometres long and equipped with a small control office to enable aircraft to land during emergencies.
He said Western North was among the regions that would benefit from the initiative, which is intended to improve emergency response and access to medical services.
President Mahama also announced that the Minister of Sports and Recreation was completing the procurement process for the construction of new regional stadiums.
“Every region that currently does not have a stadium will receive one, and Western North is among the regions that will benefit,” he stated.
The announcements form part of the government’s broader infrastructure development agenda aimed at addressing disparities in public infrastructure and ensuring that newly created regions receive essential facilities.
President Mahama also disclosed that construction work on the Western North Regional Hospital was expected to begin after the procurement process had been completed and the project site handed over to the contractor.
He said the government had promised regional hospitals for all six newly created regions but had begun with three projects in the current year, including Western North, while the remaining regions would undergo procurement next year.
The President further outlined plans to improve road infrastructure in the region under the government’s Big Push programme and feeder roads initiative.
He said major roads, including the Enchi-Elubo and Dadieso-Akontombra roads, had been included in the Big Push programme, while several feeder roads in the region were undergoing procurement.
These include the Fosukrom Junction-Fosukrom, Aferoa Junction-Kofibrafo, Fuuta Junction-Fuuta and Aboboya Junction-Aboboya roads.
President Mahama said contractors were expected to begin work on the feeder roads by early next year, with additional roads to be considered under the second phase of the Big Push programme.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with traditional authorities to advance development in the Western North Region and other parts of the country.
