Politics of Thursday, 14 February 2008

Source: Hayford, Ben

Apraku’s Offinso North falls to Nduom’s CPP

Akomadan born I.T. Consultant, Kwaku Nkansah is set to dethrone the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the Offinso North Constituency, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, (sitting MP) the man who together with his ruling New Patriotic Party has failed to put Offinso North on an equal economic footing with other constituencies, come December 2008.

He said his intention to contest the seat began after several consultations with opinion leaders and the cry of the constituents yearning for a dynamic leadership to lead and inspire them so as to accelerate the development of the area.

“There's something each of us in the newCPP have in common with you, our people, we are Progressives; we came into CPP to change our country, so that we could change people's lives and that is what a CPP led government will be doing; positively changing lives. We are here to build the knowledge based economy we all have always asked for. ” He said to a loud cheer.

He charged the people of Offinso North to “just think of the number of adults, parents, grandparents who today cannot read their children a story let alone help them with their homework” , and imagine, in three years time: one and a half million adults, parents and grandparents starting to help with the homework” he went on “and you know, as we improve adult skills at every level, we won't just change adult lives. When a parent sees new opportunities opening up, and discovers new ambitions - we know their children will have better opportunities; their children will have higher ambitions. This is the ambitious course with which we intend to set our country. We are choosing to make education peoples route to opportunity”

Mr Kwaku Nkansah bemoaned the current system of remotely operating government from afar. He has therefore promised the people of Offinso North that he will operate an “Open door” policy, putting the people of Offinso North at the heart of his policies. He also told the people that literacy, excellent medical care and sanitation will be top of his agenda in developing the constituency; “ I will do my best, I am not promising to change this in a day, but the foundation will be laid for these to be successful” the trusted Politician assured the constituents. On medical care, he asked “Why should our people be sent 14 miles away for medical care when we can provide the same in our constituency, making it easily accessible?? Is it because we should not enjoy the national cake?? Are we also not Ghanaians?? “ he frustratingly asked.

He also congratulated the people of Akomadan on their new status as the capital of the newly created Offinso North district. “There’s a day coming, when our people, will receive the desires of their heart. We will toil, but it shall not be in vain”. He urged the people of the constituency to exercise restraint when dealing with the security services; “They are our people, we should learn to work well with them, for the sake of community relations. This is very important, if the Police are to be effective in maintaining law and order. They have a very difficult job to do, in the absence of adequate resources and you can work hand in hand with the police. Please eschew vigilante justice, let the courts handle all such issues, for which they have been established.” He cautioned.

Bekwai constituency in the Ashanti region is next in line to fall to Nduom’s newCPP.