President John Dramani Mahama has assured the chiefs and people of the Savannah of his Government’s commitment to provide them with massive infrastructure development projects. 

President, whose home Region is the Savannah Region gave the assurance in his remarks during his nationwide Thank You Tour at a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Savannah Region in Damongo, Regional Capital. 

On potable water, President Mahama said: “Access to clean water is not a luxury. It is a basic right. The Damongo Water Supply System, which has been delayed for far too long, will come on stream”. 

“We have all the designs ready and have been offered funding by the European Union to execute the project. 

 This project will draw water from the White Volta River at Yapei and supply it to the west, to Damongo.  

He said he was happy to announce that it would serve the 8,000 residents of Damongo and all communities along the water pipeline would also receive clean drinking water. 

Concerning road infrastructure, President Mahama said roads were not just physical structures but were instruments of progress.  

He said under the NDC’s National Infrastructure Master Plan, which is the Big Push, they were focused on linking food-producing regions to markets and reducing travelling times. 

In this regard, I wish to assure you that the Damongo-Fulso-Sawla Road, which witnessed major upgrades under my last administration, will see new rehabilitation work.  

He said he was aware of the deterioration of the road along the Sawla section from Damongo to Sawla, and that a contractor would soon be on that road to repair that section.  

He said the Techiman-Bole Road remains a strategic priority for this government because it connects the Middle Belt of the country to the North and facilitates trade and livestock. 

The President said, he had instructed the Minister for Roads and Highways to start the procurement process to see the construction of that road this year.  

“We have put it under the Big Push, so the money is available. Work on the Daboya Bridge is ongoing,” he said. 

The President said, they Government would fund that bridge and continue its construction, and that he hoped that soon Yagbonwura would be able to join him to commission the Daboya Bridge.  

President Mahama said other bridges, like the Buipe Bridge, were undergoing reconstruction.  

He said they were building new bridges, such as Buipe and Yapei, because the old bridges had become weak and could collapse at any time. 

He said they would open up the roads from central Gonja to link up with Salaga North and Salaga South Districts.  

These roads are the Yapei-Bunjai-Salaga Road, the Kosogo-Pinjipe Road, the Adape Road and the road from Mpaha that links the Bunjai Road.  

He said that they were also going to work on the Busono-Daboya-Mankarigu-Fumbisi-Navrongo Road. 

He said roads in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district would also be tackled; stating that they were going to construct the Bole-Chache Road and that the same contractor would do the Bole Town Roads project. 

Regarding the health sector, the President said all the six new regions were going to get regional hospitals.  

He said a new regional hospital would be built in Damongo, the Savannah Regional Capital.  

He said, as they had promised in their manifesto, all the regions that don’t have a modern stadium would receive stadia. 

“And so, I can announce to you firmly that a modern sports stadium is going to be built here in Damongo,” he said. 

He said the regional development investment plans would be drawn up for all six newly created regions, including the Savannah Region.  

These plans, the President said were to allow the new regions to catch up with the older regions. 

President Mahama said the plans would align their local priorities with national budget allocations from feeder roads to irrigation, from health care to digital infrastructure. 

On the educational front, the President promised the Savannah Regional a university of agriculture, health and allied sciences to help train the nation’s human resources for accelerated national development. 

The Government of Ghana has commenced the urgent evacuation of its nationals from the Islamic Republic of Iran following the intensification of hostilities between Iran and Israel.  

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa,  described the decision to evacuate Ghanaians as a measure to safeguard lives amid growing instability.  

“The Mahama Administration, in the interest of protecting Ghanaian lives, has decided to immediately evacuate Ghanaians living in Iran following an escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict,” he said.  

As part of the emergency response, Ghana’s embassy in Tehran has been closed with immediate effect to ensure the safety of diplomatic staff.   

The evacuation, being carried out via Iran’s land borders, includes all categories of Ghanaian nationals —diplomats, students, professionals, and others residing in the country.  

The Ministry further indicated that it was closely monitoring the unfolding situation in Israel and will soon provide an update on Ghana’s next steps.   

In the meantime, operations at Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv have been scaled down significantly.  

Mr Ablakwa added, “We have instructed that embassy operations in Tel Aviv be reduced to the barest minimum, and all Ghanaians in Israel must maintain close communication with our consular department.”  

The Government assured the public that every effort is being made to protect Ghanaian lives and keep citizens safe amid the crisis.  

On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a major preemptive military operation, striking over 100 high-value targets across Iran.   

These included military command centers, missile production facilities, nuclear research sites, and homes of senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials.   

According to official and intelligence-linked sources, Israel used a combination of airstrikes, long-range drones, and cyber sabotage.  

Iranian authorities confirmed that several senior military and nuclear personnel were killed, including IRGC commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi.   

The strikes also damaged critical infrastructure in Tehran and western Iran, leading to hundreds of civilian casualties.  

In response, Iran launched a retaliatory operation on the same day, named “Operation True Promise III”, firing more than 150 ballistic missiles and deploying over 100 drones toward major Israeli cities including Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba.   

Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling defense systems intercepted a majority of the incoming threats, but some managed to hit residential areas, killing at least 24 people and injuring nearly 500, according to Israeli emergency services.  

Iran claims the Israeli strikes killed over 220 people, including military personnel and civilians, with more than 1,200 injured. It also reported damage to several oil facilities and military compounds.  

The flare-up follows years of mounting tension over Iran’s nuclear programme, Israeli covert sabotage inside Iran, and Iran’s support for groups like Hezbollah and Palestinian factions.  

This latest direct confrontation is the first time both states have openly targeted each other’s territory with full-scale missile and air campaigns.  

While diplomatic efforts are underway behind the scenes, both governments have signaled readiness for further escalation if provoked.   

The international community, including the United States, European Union, and the UN Security Council, has called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.  

Mr Ablakwa In a firm diplomatic appeal,  reiterated the Government of Ghana’s call on both Israel and Iran to de-escalate tensions and return to the path of dialogue.  

“The Government of Ghana reiterates its demand on both parties to pursue diplomatic options and end hostilities,” the Foreign Minister stressed.