Bawku, August 3, 2024 - Former President John Dramani Mahama has joined the public discourse regarding a controversial document circulating on social media. The document alleges a scheme by some individuals within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), particularly from the Akyem area in the Eastern Region, to annex state assets for personal gain.

Speaking in Bawku as part of his campaign tour of the Upper East, Mr. Mahama dismissed the formal denials by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, that the "Agyapadie" document was a fabrication. He questioned how the document could be considered fake if its implementation is evident, suggesting that its execution lends it credibility. "If the ‘Agyapadie’ document is fabricated, its implementation is not fabricated,” Mahama stated.

On Thursday, August 1, 2024, President Akufo-Addo addressed the document, denying any such scheme by NPP members to annex state assets. Similarly, the Okyenhene, during an Akyem Abuakwa council meeting in Kyebi on July 27, 2024, dismissed the document as a politically motivated fabrication designed to incite hatred against the Ofori Panin household and the Akyem people.

However, Mr. Mahama emphasized the need for accountability, insisting that the current government must be held responsible for its actions over the past seven years. He warned that a vote for the NPP would be tantamount to giving President Akufo-Addo a third term, which he believes would be detrimental to the country.

The NDC flag bearer pledged to hold his appointees accountable and prosecute corrupt NPP officials if he wins the upcoming election. He also assured the people of Bawku that he remains committed to his 2016 promise to build a world-class hospital in the area.

Promises for Bawku: First-Class Hospital and Infrastructure Development

Mr. Mahama emphasized his commitment to several projects, including completing the eastern corridor road, finishing the Tamine irrigation dam, exploring the possibility of establishing a tertiary institution in the Bawku area, as requested by the local chief, and providing detailed plans in the NDC's upcoming manifesto launch.

He reiterated his promise to construct a first-class hospital in Bawku, a commitment made during the 2016 election campaign. He highlighted the need to end the practice of residents traveling to Bolgatanga and Tamale for medical care by establishing a major referral facility in Bawku.

Responding to a request from Bawku Naba, Zugraan Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, during a courtesy call at his palace, Mahama assured that the hospital project in Garu, started by the previous NDC government but abandoned, would also be completed to provide quality medical care to the people.

Touching on infrastructure, Mahama addressed the delayed Bolgatanga-Bawku-Polimakom road project, which he initiated in 2015 and expected to be completed by now. He assured the community that the road project, including the Nankpanduri-Kulungugu stretch of the Eastern corridor road, would be completed under his leadership.

In a speech read on behalf of Naba Azoka II, the local chief praised the numerous developmental projects executed by the NDC, which he said had left an indelible mark on the area. He also appealed for the conversion of the Savanna Agricultural Research Centre into a university to enhance food security in the country.

As the campaign heats up, Mr. Mahama’s comments and promises are likely to stir significant political debate and scrutiny, particularly regarding the contentious "Agyapadie" document and its alleged implications.