A leading contender in the Ketu South NDC parliamentary race, Jim Morti says, livelihood empowerment for women and youth of the area, will be his main focus when he wins the upcoming NDC primary on May 13 and eventually becomes the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area after the 2024 general election.

Jim Morti was speaking in an interview with the media at Aflao.

According to the businessman who has a wide range of expertise in mining, construction, transport and logistics sectors, and credited with several philanthropic and developmental projects within Ketu South and elsewhere, he has always been touched by the plight of the less fortunate in society hence his commitment to providing assistance in any way possible to the vulnerable to improve their livelihoods.

The aspirant who is taking a second shot at the primary in his home constituency, contested the slot in 2012, but lost narrowly to former deputy minister of Finance and NDC General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.

He returned to contest for the Ketu South Parliamentary seat in 2016 as an independent candidate, a decision he took following unbridled and unfounded allegations of fraud among others levelled against him by his own party members said to have had the backing of Kwetey.

Those 'smear campaigns' led to his suspension from the party in the constituency.

But the love he has for the people of Ketu South, Jim Morti said at the time, compelled him to stand for election as an independent candidate to show to the people of the constituency that he really meant business and had their interest at heart and that no amount of vilification and intimidation could stop him from working to improve the fortunes of his people.

He said those allegations, counter- allegations and smear campaigns were all false and baseless and were only geared towards tarnishing his image and reputation and to further prevent him from serving the good people of the constituency as their MP.

Jim Morti was however cleared of all those allegations and reinstated into the party after a committee set up to investigate the allegations found them baseless and out of merit.

The man Jim Morti, affectionately called 'The Game Changer' by his teaming supporters and well - wishers , believes he is 'the man for the job'.

He has embarked on several developmental projects within the Ketu South constituency in his personal capacity as a well-meaning indigene of the area, over the years and says he would be better placed to do even more when he becomes the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

'The Game Changer' has been credited with the following projects which he personally executed during the run up to the 2016 general election which parliamentary slot he run for as independent candidate for the Ketu South Constituency.

Classroom block for Atsiaklorbor Basic School

Classroom block for Aflao - Anoenu Basic School

Agbozume Adawukope Water Project

Donation of 500 Plastic Chairs to the 5 Zones of the party

Donation of iron shed for motorbike riders at Kpoglu

Donation of a tractor to farmers in the constituency to assist them in ploughing their fields

• Assistance to 20 youth to acquire apprenticeship training in tailoring and hairdressing

The parliamentary aspirant disclosed that he was currently building a fruit processing factory at Agbozume in his bid to empower the youth in acquiring meaningful employment to improve their livelihoods.

He said the construction of a clinic facility was also underway at Klikor Tekpekope and expressed hope that when completed, the project would augment the shortfall in the provision of quality health care in the municipality.

The businessman and parliamentary hopeful has also earmarked the building of a coconut processing factory in the municipality in 2024 to process coconut which abounds in the Municipality in commercial quantities into various finished products for local consumption and for export.

On the issues of Kente weaving which is the main stay of the people of some traditional area, the Parliamentary hopeful said he would work with the relevant authorities to ensure that materials and logistics needed to boost the trade were provided for the artisans at affordable and subsidized rates to enable them remain afloat and maximize their incomes.

Jim Morti who is widely tipped by his supporters and a cross section of delegates to win the Ketu South NDC primary on May 13, urged all NDC faithful, especially delegates to ignore all those malicious allegations levelled against him in the past and vote massively for him on May 13, to enable him bring the needed change the people of Ketu South had been yearning for over the years.

"I want to use this opportunity to urge all members of our dear party, especially our cherished delegates who would be voting in the primary on May 13, to realize that the future of Ketu South lies in their hands - if we want to see the change we have been yearning and waiting for, then let's do the needful, by voting for Jim Morti a vote for Jim Morti is a vote for change," he said.