Opinions of Thursday, 14 December 2023

Columnist: Alfred Obeng-Boateng

We cannot get the needed recognition as members of NPP in the W/R until we foster unity and peace

Alfred Obeng-Boateng is the MP for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Alfred Obeng-Boateng is the MP for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai

The sad aspect of life in our region is that we all fought for political power using our resources, energy and time. The young men and women had been jogging in the morning, afternoon and evening throughout the period. Taking all kinds of risks just for our party to secure power.

God answered our prayers and gave us power.

Sadly we have all been neglected and even those whom we thought have been considered are all struggling to survive. They do not share their pains and frustrations with us because of lack of unity in the region.

Wisdom demands that we will all come together and plan as to how best we can be considered equitably before the first power we secured expires on the 7th January 2025.

Even if Ghanaians will renew our mandate for another term or so is a different power altogether. The emphasis is on the 2020 political party we fought for.

Unfortunately, I do not know who has set us into ablaze that since we got the power, there is always fire in the constituencies and the region as a whole.

Whereas others are controlling businesses, ministries, agencies, natural resources etc there is nobody in our region with any influence of the sort and yet 24/7 Western North Region NPP supporters are fighting either insulting innocent elders who are also bitter within themselves for being treated unfairly.

It is true that at the local level, being denied a mere polling station executive position is a loss but let us think about the larger picture well and come together to foster peace and unity where we can say sorry to each other and ask for our fair share of the power we all fought for before it expires.

It may be the case that we are fighting because everyone wants to have control in the region. The big question is that what is in the region to be controlled? Is it to have control over who should be the MMDCES or what?

In the past we could count of a number of businessmen recognised by the previous governments such as Mr Owuo Agyeman, Joko, Big Aidoo, Midwest, just to mention a few. Today none of our businessmen has been doing well because of lack of recognition; how do we get financial support from the region when the needs arise.

As a result of this situation, MPs are going through all sorts of financial harassment with bad names because every financial need is directed to MPs who are equally struggling to survive in our own government.

A serial caller in some regions are well to do than an NPP MP or Regional Chairman in the Western North Region all because we have allowed ourselves to be divided. This is similar to what African Leaders have allowed the West to do to us by dividing us to the extent that we hate each other.

The Youth should give us the chance to pave the way for you by correcting the existing anomalies else the future may not be good for you in this region. Some of us are about to leave the scene sooner or later but the future of every society rests on its Youth.

The writer, Alfred Obeng-Boateng, is the MP for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Constituency, in the Western North Region