{"id":592590,"date":"2019-02-19T21:46:23","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T21:46:23","guid":{"rendered":"
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Senior Vice President of policy think-tank IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, doubts if the creation of new regions will add any value to President Akufo-A"},"modified":"2019-02-19T21:46:23","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T21:46:23","slug":"new-regions-wont-add-to-your-legacy-bentil-tells-prez-to-prioritise-infrastructure-devt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2019\/02\/19\/new-regions-wont-add-to-your-legacy-bentil-tells-prez-to-prioritise-infrastructure-devt\/","title":{"rendered":"New regions won\u2019t add to your legacy \u2013 Bentil tells prez to prioritise infrastructure dev\u2019t"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Senior Vice President of policy think-tank IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, doubts if the creation of new regions will add any value to President Akufo-Addo\u2019s legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

He believes the president would have made more impact if he had invested the time and resources into putting up a physical infrastructure Ghanaians can see and make better use of to improve their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the president\u2019s prerogative. He chose to do it; clearly, he places a lot of value on this. I doubt what the value of this is as far s his legacy is concerned,\u201d he said on Joy News programme, Newsfile.<\/span><\/p>\n

The president has announced the regional capitals of all six new regions \u2013 Bono East, Ahafo, Oti, Savannah, Western North and North East – created following last year\u2019s referendum.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Damongo <\/b>will be the capital of the Savannah region while Techiman<\/b> and Goaso will be capitals for Bono East and Ahafo<\/b>, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, the Oti region has Dambai<\/b> at its capital, Western North has Sefwi Wiaso<\/b> as its capital while Nelerigu is the capital for the North East<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regional Re-organisation Minister, Dan Botwe touted the president\u2019s history-making efforts in seeing through the creation of the new regions.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Mr Bentil believes it adds nothing to his legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"New<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGhana used to be four regions, do you remember who made it 10? But we remember who built Adomi Bridge. President Mahama will be remembered to taking traffic off portions of Accra by constructing the Kwame Nkrumah interchange.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is about development, things that you do to change or make my life better,\u201d he stressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The private legal practitioner fears that if no immediate steps are taken, the Akufo_Addo-led administration will end its tenure without any infrastructure to boast of.<\/span><\/p>\n

This he believes will hurt not only the party but also President Akufo-Addo who will become known for not meeting the needs of the Ghanaian.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI worry about the legacy of the NPP as far as infrastructure development, delivering real life-enhancing change to people will be.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cRegions will mean something for some people,\u201d he said but added that the only way this administration will be remembered is over things that really bring change.<\/span><\/p>\n

The government in his view, can bask in the glory of being hailed for creating the new regions, however, he does not think it is something the people really need.<\/span><\/p>\n

All that will happen, he said is that \u201cyou\u2019ll have a new regional minister who will drive a new V8 around town, you\u2019ll have a new deputy minister but I doubt if that change will come.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut if you constructed a road, it will affect ordinary lives,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n