Bui — Reversing NDC dominion of Zongos, Alhaji Meiga launched the Women's wing of Nasara club in Takoradi last forthnight. Attended by the The Chairman of the National Development Planning Authority (NDPA) Hon. Joseph Henry Mensah has defended President Kufuor's numerous trips abroad. He said the President's frequent trips abroad were not for tourism purposes but for seeking help for the development of the country.

Mr. Mensah, who was speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony by the President to commence construction work on the Bui Dam at Bui in the Banda Traditional Area in Brong Ahafo Region last week Friday, said it was one of the so-called frequent trips abroad that has resulted in the construction of the Dam. The Dam, which is being constructed at the cost of $622 million, is expected to generate 400megawatts of power upon completion in 2012 and would also offer direct employment to about 2,900 Ghanaians during the construction phase.

Hon. Mensah who is also the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East noted that those who were complaining about the President's trips abroad did not know what they were talking about and urged Ghanaians to ignore them. "If His Excellency had stayed at home to eat banku and green leaves, would the construction of the Dam have started today?" he asked.

He noted that the construction of the Bui Dam had been on the drawing board since the 1920s and that it took a visionary leader like President Kufuor to bring it into reality. This has also fulfilled the promise made to the nation by the Kufuor Government.

According to Mr. Mensah, politics was not the act of deceiving people as perceived, but rather a fulfilling of promises made to the people for them to continuously entrust their destiny in the hands of their leaders. He recalled that about seven years ago, President Kufour came to the Brong Ahafo Region to promise that if the people gave him the power to rule the country, the 90-year old dream of the Bui Dam would be realized.

Mr. Mensah said the President was not implementing the project to solicit for votes from the people again, because his time is over, but as a fulfillment of the promise made to Ghanaians when he was campaigning to become President of Ghana. The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah who celebrated his birthday on the same day the sod was cut called on traditional authorities in the Region to support him in ensuring the smooth completion of the project.

"My personal destiny is tied to the destiny of the Bui Dam, hence I must ensure that it is completed successfully. I therefore plead with my traditional authorities to support it holistically for the benefit of the entire nation" he said.

The Regional Minister entreated the people not to obstruct the construction of the Dam in anyway because of its numerous benefits to the nation.