Government has secured funding to extend electricity to 24 new communities in the Northern Region, President John Dramani Mahama has hinted.
He said the extension would begin as soon as parliamentary approval is received in the coming days.
President Mahama gave this hint when he addressed party supporters at Kpandai as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Region.
President Mahama addressed similar rallies at Kumidi and Lungni in the Kpandai District and would be addressing others at Wulensi, Bimbilla, Chamba, Nakpayili, Yendi and Sambu.
President Mahama said the NDC government has been instrumental in the provision of electricity in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions in the Fourth Republic.
He said when President John Evans Atta Mills took over in 2009, only 30 per cent of people in the three regions had access to electricity but as at the end of 2015, the percentage had risen to 70.
President Mahama said the extension to 24 communities under the new arrangements would further increase the percentage in the coming years.
On agriculture, President Mahama said government had procured 500 tractors that would be distributed to farmers throughout the country through subsidised prices.
He called on farmers interested in the machines to apply through their district assemblies to the Regional Ministers.
He said government would also work on the Salaga-Kumidi-Kpandai roads to facilitate the carting of foodstuff from the farming communities to marketing centres.
President Mahama also gave the assurance that the Kpandai-Wulensi and the Kpandai Bimbilla roads would also be upgraded in the course of the year.
He promised to construct small town water systems in the Kpandai township to reduce the burden of women who had to travel to far away areas in search of potable water.
President Mahama directed the National Health Insurance Authority to establish a District office at Kpandai to reduce burden of people who had to travel a number of kilometres to Salaga for the service.
He promised to upgrade the Kpandai Polyclinic into a district hospital on account of the growing health needs of the people.
President Mahama also introduced Mr Kwajo, Tawiah Likpalimor, the NDC Parliamentary candidate to the people.
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Source: GNA