Presidential hopeful Kofi Akpaloo spoke to the Ghanaian community in Worcester MA Saturday about the state of Ghana’s economy and jobs during a town-hall-style meeting at Shalom Church 550 Park Avenue. The forum, titled “Transforming people’s lives through technology” was as an opportunity for Kofi Akpaloo also to discuss the nation’s troubled economy and the discriminatory and disenfranchise nature of Chapter 3 and Article 94 (2) of the 1992 constitution that prohibits Ghanaians who are domiciled in foreign lands and have taken on citizenship of other nationalities from joining the public service of their country. He said it is incomprehensible that Ghana government has chosen to prevent such a broad based human capital to go to waste. We need common sense and practicality and we are not finding it with our present leadership, he declared.

The town hall style meeting gave the community the opportunity to share with one another what their frustrations are and what needs to be done to improve people’s lives back home in Ghana. In answering a question from one of the participants, Mr.Akpaloo said I know how frustrated people are in Ghana, especially you leaving abroad who have to always send money home to support your families and the economy, and not seeing any constructive improvement but rather the silly and ugly partisan politics that has saturated and seriously impede the progress of the nation. He said Ghanaians deserve better and the generational response back home has been very impressive. Touching on a question about waste in Ghana, he said government should live within its means while still investing in the future and cutting unnecessary spending.

Mr. Akpaloo minced no words by telling the participants that change will not just come if we don’t push for it, we must all get involve by calling your families back home and create the awareness about IPP vision , tell them to represent you, campaign, volunteer, and vote for real change and one Ghana. We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines on this crucial debate. I want everybody to be in the game. I want you to hold Government and your elected leaders accountable.

I know how desperate people want change, and I also understand how cynical voters are but I can assure you one thing, and that is change is coming," he said, later adding, “When IPP is voted into power in 2012, Ghana will begin to see the era of the new beginning. We will revitalize the housing industry, modernize the way things are and bring Ghana to par with the 21st century technology, this means making every effort possible to formulate sound and commonsense policies to fix the economic problems in our country. The forum provided an opportunity to community to have a one on one conversation with the future president of Ghana.

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