Ohempon Leads Delegation to President Mahama on Atebubu and Bono East Development Priorities.

History was made at Jubilee House on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, when HRM Ohempon Dr Yeboah Asiamah, Paramount Chief of Atebubu and President of the Atebubu Traditional Council, paid a working visit to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana. The high level engagement centered on a single overarching agenda: addressing urgent community development priorities in Atebubu. These included sustainable water supply, health infrastructure in the form of an ultra-modern hospital, improvement of the road network and expanded access to higher education for the far east corridor of the Bono East Region.

The President was joined by the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim (MP)- Banda Constituency, and his deputy, Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP)-Dadekotopon. Ohempon’s delegation reflected the unity of traditional and political leadership from the area; it comprised the Bono East Regional Minister-Hon Francis Owusu Antwi, the Atebubu Amantin Municipal Chief Executive –Hon Thomas Masud Ayarba, Cde. Raphael Kofi Gapson-NDC Bono East Regional Treasurer, Atebubu Adontenhene-Nana Kwabena Kyere III, Twafourhene-Nana Ofori Yeboah, Okyeame ACP Boakye Yiadom, Ntotoyehene-Nana Asare Baffour, Apagyahene-Nana Owusu Addo, Wiase Kyidomhene-Nana Adu Baah Komasono, Mr. Richard Appiah Kubi [Snr Registrar]-Atebubu Traditional Council, Mr. Seth Opoku Mensah and personalities from the traditional area.

Atebubu Raises Seed Fund for Water Project
At the heart of the discussions was the long standing challenge of water scarcity in Atebubu. For more than a decade, households, schools and businesses have struggled to access reliable potable water.
Ohempon briefed the President on the bold step taken by the people of Atebubu during the 2025 Fɔyawoɔ Yam Festival, which was celebrated under the theme “Mobilizing for sustainable water supply in Atebubu”. Through intensive community mobilization and generous support from partners, the town has raised almost one million Ghana cedis as seed money for a modern water project. He expressed his readiness to release the seed fund to support Government effort, as proof of support from the Paramountcy and as a call for the central government to partner with Atebubu to secure a lasting solution. The President received the petition in good faith and assured the delegation that he would take urgent steps to address all the concerns raised. Importantly, he emphasized that the government would engage the Minister for Finance as soon as possible to ensure the commencement of the Atebubu water project.

Call for an Ultra-Modern Hospital
The second priority area was health. Ohempon drew attention to the fact that the Atebubu Municipal Hospital is overstretched and cannot adequately serve the growing population of Atebubu and neighboring districts such as Sene East, Sene West, Pru East and Pru West. The facility was built for a much smaller population and now faces overcrowding, frequent referrals and heavy pressure on staff.
It is important to note that while in opposition, President John Dramani Mahama, through the efforts of the Member of Parliament and Sarki Zongo, donated a new, fully funded maternity ward to the Atebubu Hospital. This intervention is already helping to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Atebubu and across Atebubuman, and the people remain deeply grateful for this gesture.
Despite this valuable support, broader health needs remain urgent. Emergency and specialist cases are often referred over long distances on poor roads to Techiman, Kumasi or Sunyani, and some patients tragically do not survive the journey. The hospital also lacks modern laboratories, imaging facilities, intensive care units and staff accommodation, making it difficult to attract and retain qualified health professionals.
Ohempon therefore appealed for Atebubu to be prioritized in the next phase of national hospital projects and for a feasibility study to pave the way for an ultra-modern hospital that can serve as a referral center for the eastern belt of the Bono East Region. The President received this appeal in good faith and promised to work on it as soon as possible
Roads as Lifelines for Agriculture and Trade
On road infrastructure, the delegation highlighted the poor condition of the inner roads of Atebubu as well as key arteries such as the Ejura–Yeji stretch and the Atebubu–Kajeji highway. These roads are lifelines for the movement of foodstuffs from farming communities to markets across Ghana.
Upgrading them will reduce post-harvest losses, lower transport costs and improve access to schools, health facilities and security services. The President was urged to consider Atebubu roads as strategic national assets that support food security and regional trade, and he gladly indicated that the 2026 national budget would capture these roads so that work can commence.

Higher Education for the Far East Corridor
The final pillar of the petition related to higher education. Ohempon proposed the establishment of a public university campus in Atebubu with a focus on Agriculture, Applied Science, Engineering and Technology. Such an institution would serve many districts in the far east corridor and would align with the President’s vision of expanding access to tertiary education. He noted that Atebubu’s strategic location, coupled with its history as an educational center, makes it a natural hub for a specialized university that can drive innovation in farming, teacher education and digital skills.

Atebubu College of Education was also on the agenda, as Ohempon asked for the expansion of its facilities to make it a state of the Art Teacher Educational Training and Capacity building College of Excellence. The President pledged to undertake further engagements on this request to determine how best he could support Atebubu.

A shared vision for prosperity
On issues of power, President Mahama indicated that he is fully aware of the unstable power situation affecting Atebubu and its environs, and assured the delegation that steps have already been initiated to construct a Substation, or Bulk Supply Point, to improve the quality and reliability of electricity supply to the area.

Speaking after the meeting, Ohempon stated, “Water gives life, but health sustains it. Our people can only be productive when they are healthy. Atebubu is ready to support the government in turning this vision into reality.”

The visit to Jubilee House was described as historic, not only because it placed Atebubu’s development priorities at the highest level of national decision making, but also because it showcased strong collaboration among traditional authorities, government appointees, political actors and citizens.

With the President’s assurance that urgent steps will be taken on water, health, roads, power and higher education, hope is rising in Atebubu. Under the leadership of Ohempon Dr Yeboah Asiamah, and with the partnership of the central government, the town looks forward to a future of reliable water supply, better health care, improved roads, stable electricity and expanded educational opportunities for its people.