On Sunday, September 1, 2024, Mike Oquaye Jnr., the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Dome-Kwabenya constituency, officially launched his campaign and introduced his campaign team at Kwabenya Senior High School.

The gathering was a reflection of the strong NPP spirit and commitment to positive change in the upcoming elections.

In his speech, Mike Oquaye Jnr. highlighted the achievements of the NPP government, asserting that despite challenges, including the impact of COVID-19, the party has delivered significant progress at a time when there is a world economic crisis with high costs of living even in the UK and USA.

He reminded attendees of the positive economic indicators before the pandemic, including robust growth rates at 7 percent. The NDC was growing at 3 percent in 2016, despite the high gold and cocoa prices at the time. 

“Today we are alive, and the economy is rising,” he noted, referring to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s resilience in revitalizing the economy.

He pointed out that although both Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP and John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have held the role of vice president, Dr. Bawumia has managed to stay clear of any corruption.

“Bawumia is not corrupt and would not be corrupted; unlike his main competitor, he has never been accused or named publicly in a corruption scandal nor investigated for corruption, unlike JDM in the Embraer Jet Sandal, Airbus Scandal, and Ford Expedition Scandal, among others. Let me remind you fellow constituents, that the ‘Akomfem’ have still not returned from Burkina Faso. How can we vote for such an abysmal performance to remind us of Yentie Obiaa and dead goat, a.k.a. Ogwan Fuun’” He emphasized the importance of not making any mistake when Ghanaians are casting their votes. “No mistake,” he added. 

Mike Oquaye Jnr. also underscored several key achievements of the NPP government. He praised the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, which has greatly increased student enrollment and eliminated the issue of examination fee affordability.

Since the policy’s implementation in 2017, government expenditure has totaled GH¢9.9 billion, benefiting 5.7 million students. Additionally, the NPP has established 10 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) centres and provided 900,000 tablets to secondary school students.

The NPP parliamentary candidate also highlighted the Agenda 111 project, which aims to complete 50% of the planned hospitals by the end of 2024, and the One District, One Factory initiative, which promised 265 factories but has supported over 321 factories and created more than 170,000 jobs.

He added that when the opposition party, the NDC, asks, "Sika No Wɔhe?" (Where is the money?)  Tell them "Sika No Nei" (This is the money).

Mike Oquaye Jr. also addressed the issue of energy shortages, often called “dumsor,” a term used in Ghana to describe erratic power supply. He compared the four years of “dumsor” experienced before the NPP came into power with the shorter period of 4 months of “dum-sie-sie” under the current NPP administration. He highlighted that the intensive maintenance work done in the power sector during the NPP’s tenure was a necessary investment to address previous energy challenges. “Sika nu nie.”.

Mike Oquaye Jnr., the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Dome-Kwabenya, went on to detail his initiatives and ongoing work in the constituency and promised to prioritize the constituency's urgent needs. 

Despite not having been elected yet as a Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Mike Oquaye Jnr. has undertaken several key projects to demonstrate his commitment to his beloved constituency.

He has focused on human capacity building by sponsoring and funding extra classes for all third-year students at Kwabenya Senior High School. To clean up the community, he financed the removal of a refuse dump site at Kwabenya SHS to facilitate the construction of a new canteen at the only secondary school in the constituency.

He has also engaged regularly with community stakeholders and residential associations to address their concerns, with plans for further outreach soon.

In terms of infrastructure, he has supported the improvement of truck and taxi stations by spreading gravel to make the areas more stable and weather-resistant in Taifa and Dome. The "Light-up My Constituency" program has seen the installation of streetlights in dark areas across Dome and its environs, with more planned for the near future.

Mike Oquaye Jr. is also working on the construction of a Construction Workers Job Link Centre in Kwabenya to connect skilled workers with daily job opportunities. Additionally, he has lobbied for and begun the construction of an AstroTurf Park in Kwabenya, with the grounds already prepared and a sod-cutting ceremony scheduled within the next two weeks.

Regarding health initiatives, Mike Oquaye Jnr. has launched a special project for free registration and renewal of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards.

Currently, about 31,000 new applications have been processed, and the NHIS cards have been linked to the Ghana Card as part of the digitalization agenda led by H.E. Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia.

The registration process has reached notable numbers, including Abokobi (5,102), Adenkelebi (623), Ablorh Adjei (2,106), Ashongman (1,950), Agbogba (2,560), Haatso (4,538), Dome (9,020), Taifa (2,050, ongoing), and Kwabenya (3,420). Dome-Kwabenya constituency is leading in the integration of NHIS cards with the Ghana Card process, with efforts extending to clergy, imams, chiefs, and opinion leaders.

“Your health is my priority. We have already registered 31,000 individuals with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in just two weeks," he shared.

In infrastructure development, Mike Oquaye Jr. is overseeing the construction of several roads: Agbogba EP Road to Cemetery Junction, Taifa Mr. Adjei to Kwabenya Mosque, Taifa RO Junction to Nkatie Burger Junction, Mango Ase to Samanpa Estate Road, and Abokobi Boi Junction to COMET Estate.

He has also completed bridges, including the Taifa Baptist Church to Muse Bridge, the Save More Foot Bridge, and the Suncity Foot Bridge at Agbogba.

Street lighting projects include provisions at Dome Kiosk Estate and Taifa Community School Area, with plans to install an additional 600 streetlights in October to address security concerns caused by poorly lit areas.

Mike Oquaye Jr. has also focused on addressing water issues by filling waterlogged areas at Dome New Station and graveling two taxi ranks in Taifa.

He is also constructing water culverts at Ashongman Estate, next to MELCOM, and another at Mr. Adjei in Taifa. Additionally, he has donated a water pump to the Taifa cluster of schools to address long-standing water shortages.

Furthermore, he has provided a mower to Kwabenya Senior High School and relocated a refuse dump that was a nuisance to the school.

Despite not yet holding the parliamentary position, Mike Oquaye Jr. has undertaken these initiatives in just the past five months. He concluded, "This is just the wind before the rains begin with your vote in December this year."

Madam Kate Gyamfua, the NPP National Women’s Organizer, also spoke at the event, urging unity and active participation from constituents. She emphasized the party's commitment to policies that benefit the country and called for a collective effort towards breaking the 8. She urged everyone to put their differences aside and vote for the ELEPHANT. 

The event concluded with a sense of renewed purpose and determination among the attendees, who were energized by the promises and achievements outlined by Mike Oquaye Jr. The gathering underscored a strong commitment to the NPP’s goals, particularly the ambitious objective of "breaking the 8" and upholding the party’s core values.

Key personalities who lent their support and contributed to the event’s significance included Rt. Hon. Aaron Mike Oquaye, former Speaker of Parliament and former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya who swore in the campaign team, and Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, the former Majority Leader and MP for Suame. Madam Kate Gyamfua, the NPP National Women’s Organizer, also played a prominent role, emphasizing the need for unity and active participation to ensure the party's success in the upcoming elections on December 7th, 2024.

Their presence, combined with the enthusiasm of local supporters, highlighted a unified front as the NPP gears up for December 7th. The event not only marked a crucial step in Mike Oquaye Jnr’s campaign but also reinforced the party’s resolve to achieve its electoral and developmental goals.

KA

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