The Upper West Youth for Progress and Development has touted the interventions being undertaken by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban SK Bagbin for the development of the region.
The interventions cast across most aspects of human development including social, economic, recreation, education, and health.
These came to light at a Press Soiree on January 12, 2023, which saw the youth profile the interventions by the former Nadowli-Kaleo lawmaker for his two years, so far, in office as Speaker of Parliament.
The interventions included financial donations and hard projects on the grounds.
While the Speaker undertook renovation works at some infrastructural facilities, he also broke the grounds for the springing up of new buildings across selected districts in the region.
In education, the Speaker is constructing a 2000-seater auditorium complex at Wa Senior High School while construction of an ultramodern administration block, 3-storey hostel, 6-unit classroom block, toilet facilities and fence wall is being undertaken at the Sombo Senior High School.
Other interventions in the education sector included the construction of two 6-unit classroom blocks, two 2-unit classroom blocks and a 2-unit bedroom teachers’ quarters at Takpo, Naro and Kaluri.
In sports, the Speaker renovated the Wa Sports complex which was in a dilapidated condition, undertook construction of a FIFA-standard astroturf football pitch at McCoy College of Education, donated GHS50,000 to the National Sports Authority, and adopted a female soccer team, Sung Shinning Ladies.
In the health sector, he donated an amount of GHS50,000 towards the Citizens Ambulance for Upper West, donated cash amount for the renovation of Yala No.2 maternity ward, and GHS5,000 to Bahass Foundation, a mental health-focused organization in Upper West.
On religion and culture, the Speaker donated GHS50,000 and GHS5,000 to the Catholic Diocese and Sombo Mosque project respectively, as well as GHS50,000 and GHS10,000 to the Centre for National Culture and the Upper West Smock Festival respectively.
He also purchased for the Wala traditional Council a public address system worth GHS86,000.
It was also disclosed that the Speaker had advanced plans for the construction of an ultramodern Robotics and Software Development Centre at Kaleo in the Nadowli-Kaleo District.
According to the youth, the profile of interventions was taken as of January 9, 2023, for the Speaker’s two years in office so far.
The profile was compiled by Ismail Saani Abaacha, a media practitioner and Awudu Ishaq, a National Communications Officer of the Peoples National Convention (PNC).
Rt Hon ASK Bagbin, before his election as Speaker, had been the Member of Parliament for the Nadowli-Kaleo District and has been the first Speaker from a party that does not form the executive arm of government since 1992.