President John Dramani Mahama has announced a new development plan for the Savannah Region, outlining a set of projects he says will begin in 2025.
The plan includes the construction of a public university, a regional hospital, a water supply system for Damongo, and the rehabilitation of several road networks across the region.
President Mahama announced on Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a stop at the forecourt of the Yagbonwura’s Palace in Damongo as part of his ‘Thank You’ tour of the area.
He said the series of interventions represents a practical response to longstanding regional disparities, particularly in access to education, water, healthcare, and transport.
“This is more than a thank you,” he told a crowd of traditional leaders, residents, and officials. “It is a renewal of trust, a renewal of shared purpose.”
President Mahama said his government would not dwell on excuses but would work to meet the everyday needs of people in the region.
One of the central features of the announcement is the establishment of a public university in the Savannah Region. The institution will focus on agriculture and related sciences, and is expected to support the government’s Feed Ghana initiative and its broader plan for economic development through agriculture.
According to President Mahama, funding for the new university has been captured in the 2025 budget. He added that the institution would contribute to skills development and expand access to higher education in one of the country’s newest regions.
“This university will not just be symbolic,” he said. “It will be grounded in our national plan for skills and education.”
President Mahama confirmed that the Damongo water supply project, which had faced several delays, would proceed this year. The project will draw water from the White Volta at Yapei and provide clean drinking water to over 8,000 residents in Damongo and other communities along the supply route.
He disclosed that the European Union has agreed to finance the project. The necessary designs, he said, are complete and ready for execution.
The President also announced that a new regional hospital would be built in Damongo. This forms part of a broader plan to build regional hospitals in each of the six newly created regions.
In addition, a new sports stadium will be constructed in Damongo to support youth activities and sporting events. These two projects, Mr Mahama said, are part of a broader effort to upgrade public services in the region.
Road infrastructure remains a major concern for many residents in the Savannah Region. Mr Mahama stated that the Damongo-Fufulso-Sawla road, which saw some upgrades during his previous administration, would undergo further repairs this year. He said attention would be given to the deteriorated section between Damongo and Sawla.
He also announced work on the Tinga-Busunu road, saying procurement processes had already started. Other road projects mentioned include the Bole-Chache road, town roads in Bole, and several feeder roads and bridges in areas such as Daboya, Busunu, Yapei, and Bipe.
Mr Mahama added that bridges considered structurally weak would be replaced, and new roads would be constructed to link central Gonja to Salaga North and Salaga South districts. Roads such as the Yapei-Salaga stretch, Kusawgu-Pingjipe, and routes from Kpembe and Adape would also receive attention.
President John Dramani Mahama also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving teacher education in Ghana, announcing the formal absorption of the Savannah College of Education in Daboya into the public education system.
President Mahama said the move forms part of his administration’s broader strategy to enhance teacher training and expand access to quality education in newly created and historically underserved areas.
“To support teacher development, I’m pleased to announce that the Savannah College of Education in Daboya, which was previously a private-community initiative, has now been officially absorbed as a public teacher training institution,” he stated.
He added that he had directed both the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to fast-track the recruitment of teaching and administrative staff, and to prioritise infrastructure development at the college.
In a further pledge, the President confirmed that construction work on the long-abandoned College of Education at Doli, near Bole, will resume later this year.
The project was initiated during his previous administration but stalled following changes in government.
“Furthermore, work on the abandoned college of education at Doli near Bole which was begun under my previous administration will resume this year,” Mahama declared.
Source: Diwura Abdul Fataw
