Election 2020: Focus on Lower Manya Krobo - The Daily Statesman Newspaper

By Nyarko Gilbert Tetteh

This year’s parliamentary election will see some surprises in either of the two major political parties in Ghana. In every general election under this democratic dispensation, every new Parliament records new faces, and the eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic will not be an exception.

In the case of the Lower Manya Krobo constituency, the contest would be tougher than what has been witnessed in previous elections.

This is due to the near similarities between the two main candidates contesting in the area this year.

In 2016, the NPP candidate, Mr Samuel Nuertey Ayertey, came against an incumbent NDC MP, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, who had served as a Deputy Regional Minister, Deputy Defence Minister and Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister, two of the appointments happening at a time he was an MP.

Time changes

Fast forward to 2020, the incumbent MP, who is serving his second term in Parliament, would face a fierce contest with the same NPP candidate, who is also now the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, the same position Mr Terlabi was holding before winning the seat.

With both candidates having served in the same position within the last eight years, their track records will be compared to ascertain what each of them used his appointment for, especially in sending developmental projects to the area and impacting the lives of the people in the constituency.

Mr Nuertey Ayertey, popularly known as Teddy Braino in the area, in 2016 changed the status quo by closing the gap between the NPP and the NDC, from a previous margin of over 9, 000 votes difference to 327, making the Lower Manya Krobo seat, a traditional and safe seat for the NDC, now a shaking one.

In nominal terms, the NDC’s Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi in 2016 garnnerd 19,710 votes, representing 49.74 per cent, as against the NPP’s Samuel Nuertey Ayertey’s 19,383 votes, representing 48.91 per cent.

The average Ghanaian is growing and the voter expectations in who can make things happen has also enlightened, making who to vote for a bit easier than before.

Achievements

The NPP parliamentary candidate, whose appointment as the Deputy Minister for Eastern Region came at the ‘injury time’, barely one and half years ago, has lobbied for numerous projects to his constituency.

Among the projects he has initiated and are at various stages of completion include construction of 6-units classroom block at Ayermesu Kperti M/A Basic School (98 per cent complete); construction of Atua Osupanya bridge(completed); construction of Atua Quarters bridge(completed); construction of Laasi market(completed); construction of Blornguanya Durbar ground shed(completed); pavement of Odumase Acca Station and Agomanya Taxi Station(ongoing); construction of 0.86km Agomanya Airport to Ablotsi stretch(ongoing); construction of 2.6Km Atua Hospital road(ongoing); construction of 2.74Km Nuaso town roads(ongoing); and construction of 2.1Km Kpongunor to Bana Hill road(ongoing).

Other projects are construction of 1.8km Kpong Quarters road (yet to commence); construction of Kpong beach road (yet to commence); reshaping of 31km Oborpah-Obelemanya road (ongoing); reshaping of Akuse Zongo road (ongoing); reshaping of Asitey Salosi road (yet to commence); rural electrification of Oborpah-Obelemanya (ongoing); construction of other roads in Middle belt (Yonguase, Ketem, Ayermesu Kpeti and Tsledom) are all set to begin.

Comparing records

Comparing the leadership skills of the two candidates, both as Deputy Ministers of the region, the constituents are now questioning the lobbying skills of the incumbent MP.

Some constituents say the MP failed to address most of the developmental issues, despite his numerous appointments during his eight years as MP, and have questioned how he utilises the District Assembly Common Fund and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Fund he receives every quarter from the Assembly.

The residents say even though the NPP parliamentary candidate came into the scene quite recently, the works and development he is bringing to the area are unprecedented.

The battle line is about to be drawn in the few days ahead, and if things stand the way it is now, Lower Manya Krobo Constituency would make history by producing the first ever NPP MP in December 7, 2020.