The Volta Regional representative on the Council of State, Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, has described President John Mahama as the clearest modern embodiment of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s vision, following the sod-cutting ceremony for the landmark Oxygen City Housing Project in Ho.
In a public statement shared on social media following the event, the youngest Council of state member, Kwamigah-Atokple, who openly identifies as a Scientific Socialist, drew a strong ideological parallel between Mr. Mahama and Ghana’s founding leader.
“Mr. President, you embody all the good things Dr. Kwame Nkrumah spoke about in his books Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism and Dark Days in Ghana. You are the best among your contemporaries. We thank you for all you have done for the Volta Region thus far,” he stated.
The message, which concluded with a citation from Habakkuk 2:3, was widely shared and interpreted as a vote of confidence in Mr. Mahama’s development philosophy and long-term vision for the region.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Hon. Kwamigah-Atokple praised President Mahama for translating ideology into concrete development, noting that the Oxygen City project reflects the very principles of planned urbanisation and social justice espoused by Ghana’s first President.
According to the Council of State member, President Mahama’s decision to extend TDC Ghana Limited’s operations beyond Tema for the first time demonstrates a deliberate policy choice to ensure balanced regional development, rather than concentrating national growth in Accra alone.
“President Mahama embodies the best of Nkrumah’s thinking. What we are witnessing here is not rhetoric, but the practical execution of ideas contained in Neo-Colonialism and Dark Days in Ghana. Integrated development, state-led planning and social equity — this is Nkrumahism in action,” H.E Kwamigah-Atokple stated when speaking to the media.
The Oxygen City Housing Project, situated on a 1,860-acre land in the Adaklu Traditional Area, is a fully integrated urban development being undertaken by TDC Ghana Limited. The project will feature:
Multi-storey two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments
Roads, water and electricity infrastructure
Schools, markets and shopping facilities
A hospital, hotel and recreational centres
President Mahama described the project as a decisive intervention to reduce Ghana’s housing deficit while creating complete urban ecosystems where residents can live, work and access essential services within the same geographical space.
The President also disclosed that land has already been secured in the Ashanti Region, with the support of the Asantehene, for TDC Community 28, signalling a nationwide rollout of similar developments.
H.E Kwamigah-Atokple emphasised that beyond housing, Oxygen City will generate employment, attract private investment and reposition Ho as a modern regional capital capable of competing economically with other urban centres across the country.
He noted that the project aligns with President Mahama’s broader agenda of inclusive growth, which prioritises historically marginalised regions without apology.
“This project validates President Mahama’s belief that development must be deliberate and inclusive. Volta is not being favoured; Volta is being planned for and that is leadership,” he added.
Political observers say Hon. Kwamigah-Atokple’s strong endorsement sends a clear signal that key national figures recognise President Mahama’s housing and urban development agenda as one of the most coherent responses to Ghana’s infrastructure challenges.
By openly aligning President Mahama’s leadership with Nkrumah’s intellectual legacy, the Council of State member has positioned himself as a principled ideological voice, unafraid to defend state-led development and long-term national planning.
As work begins on Oxygen City, many residents believe the project will stand not only as a physical transformation of Ho, but also as enduring evidence of President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to visionary governance loudly affirmed by H.E. Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, Volta’s representative on the council of state.
