Opinions of Wednesday, 26 August 2020

Columnist: Agya Assan

Sixteen years of zero development, the story of Essikado-Ketan

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It saddens my heart to be a constituent in Essikado-Ketan considering how the constituency has retarded in development for the past sixteen years.

I will say it is sixteen years of struggle, slavery with youth having no unemployment despite invoking their trust in Joe Ghartey as the Member of Parliament since 2004.

Many expected Joe Ghartey to make Essikado-Ketan a place to live in with his sixteen years in Parliament but it has turned the otherwise with the constituents leaving in sorrow.

Since the formation of Essikado-Ketan constituency in 2004 from Sekondi, I do not need a soothsayer to tell me that development has become an obstacle in the constituency despite its legislator becoming a minister of Railways.

When Joe Ghartey became a cabinet minister, the youth in Essikado-Ketan were overexcited, thinking their MP will reduce the high rate of unemployment in the Constituency by offering them jobs but what have we seen, zero actually zero, I mean nothing has been added to the woes of the youth.

But just as I was pondering on these as the 2020 elections beckons came Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, the NDC's parliamentary candidate for the constituency.

Inasmuch as I support neither the NDC or NPP, I believe the people of Essikado-Ketan should try Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah if we only want development in our constituency

I believe in policies and actions and not just words alone that's why President Akufo-Addo touched my heart prior to the 2016 general elections..

But same cannot be said of Joe Ghartey who has succumbed the progress of the Constituency for the past sixteen years..

Like I said earlier on, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah is gradually touching my heart with her youth empowerment project, a thing Joe Ghartey should have done long ago.

As a resident of Sofokrom, I heard Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah is organizing a vocational training for youths in the community, so I decided to visit the place to monitor and I was surprised to count about hundreds participating in the exercise..

I was shocked and amazed at what Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah is doing, a thing Joe Ghartey has failed the constituents for the past years...

I was also told she recently organized a free medical screening for the constituents as well as given taxis to drivers working on work-and-pay basis and a whole lot of other activities which I can't mention.

Remember, she doesn't have a President to run to during difficulties unlike Joe Ghartey whom I have voted twice for in the elections.

Remember some of her activities started even before she won the NDC primaries. I'm a staunch advocate for development and I see Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah as the right person to elevate Essikado-Ketan constituency.