Bolgatanga, Dec. 9, GNA - Mr Adamu Dramani, Member of Parliament (MP) elect for Bawku Central in the Upper East Region said on Tuesday that the most important preoccupation during his tenure would be to reconcile and unite the people in the constituency to enhance development.

Until his recent return to Ghana, Mr Dramani had been working as an Accredited Security Management Specialist (ASMS) in the United Kingdom. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) shortly after he had been declared winner of the Bawku parliamentary seat, Mr Dramani said the people of Bawku deserved commendation for observing one of the most orderly and peaceful polls last Sunday.

He attributed the success of the exercise to the diligence of the security agencies who responded promptly to emergency situations during the polls, and the determination of the people to demonstrate to the rest of the nation that they were ready to put the past behind them. "Remarkably, I received a lot of support from the Kusasi, Hausa and Moshie sections just as I got from the Mamprusi side, so I consider myself an MP for the entire population of Bawku," he said. Mr Dramani won the seat on the ticket of the New Patriotric Party (NPP) and polled 20,157 votes to beat his main contestant and incumbent MP, Mr Mahama Ayariga of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who polled 17,385 votes.

Mr Dramani said the Bawku area was currently economically depressed, with large numbers of unemployed youth who could easily be enlisted as agents of violence by unscrupulous individuals. "These need to be targeted, given proper vocational skills training, and some credit facility to make them productive". The MP-elect said the Bawku District should be singled out as a special case, and special strategies designed to redeem the area from the cycle of economic depression and conflict.

"In this whole scheme, the government has a major role to play through capital investment and continuous peace-building initiatives," he added.

Fortunately, he said, the government had already set in motion the process of reconciliation in the area, with the support of various non-governmental organizations and civil society groups. He said he intended to feed into the process, deeper interventions that would complement the existing strategies.

Mr Dramani conceded that even though there was some semblance of normalcy in Bawku now, it would be na=EFve to assume that all was well. He expressed concern about the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Bawku area, and said as a matter of priority, he would recommend to government a comprehensive disarmament programme across the entire district to pave the way for sustainable peace, security, and development.

Asked how he would be able to accomplish his development plans for the area, the MP-elect said leading people required trust and teamwork. "In my case, I believe I have won the trust and confidence of the people of Bawku, in return for which I owe them the truth, and pledge to lay every issue before them objectively and transparently at all times". 09 Dec. 08