Accra, Feb. 01, GNA- Mr Oppey Abbey, Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya, on Friday threw a challenge to his constituents to partner him to develop the human resource base to raise the standard of living of the people. He said he was ready to increase his support on education in the constituency, which had been a bane of development over the years. Mr Abbey, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency, at Parliament House

in Accra, on development issues in his constituency, said he was already using 80 per cent of his share of the MPs Common Fund to pay the school fees of 52 pupils and students in the Constituency. He said since education was development issue, the people should take advantage of his interest in human resource development, feel free and approach him for support.

Mr Abbey complained of low enrolment, and poor performance at the Basic Education Level, adding that, it was necessary for the people to send their children to school as a basis for developing the human resources for the many investment opportunities in the area. He urged the people to increase also their enrolment at the post basic education level, adding that, a 400-acre piece of land had been acquired to be developed into a second-cycle institution at Awutu Bawjiase, in addition to Awutu Obrachire Senior Secondary Technical School.

The MP, who is also a Member of the Select Committee on Water Resources, Works and Housing, said the water situation at Kasoa was now better, and part of the HIPC Funds was being used to further improve the situation. Mr Abbey stated that he was ready to serve his people in Parliament for another term.

He however, expressed regret over voter apathy and disenchantment attributable to the few electoral areas in the constituency, stating that less than 3000 people cast their votes in the last District Level Elections, because of the long distances they had to cover before exercising their franchise.

This, he explained affected confidence levels of the Assembly-members to execute their development agenda. Mr Abbey had earlier asked a question on the floor of Parliament on when the Kasoa township, with a population of over 100,000 and voter population of 44,000 would have more than one electoral area. Deputy of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, answered that there would be more electoral areas for Kasoa after an exercise to re-demarcate and create new electoral areas after Election 20008. Mr Jumah said the Ministry was in contact with the Electoral Commission for the exercise, under which Weija, Adenta, Madina and Kasoa would be re-demarcated.