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(Left) Mark Okraku-Mantey received the nomination forms
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A Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mark Okraku-Mantey, has picked up nomination forms to contest the Ayensuano parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), pledging renewed leadership for the constituency.
Speaking to the media, Mr Okraku-Mantey highlighted his commitment to education, business development, job creation, and creative art development.
He expressed his intention to utilize his network in the business sector to attract businesses to Ayensuano, thereby fostering economic growth and providing job opportunities for the community. Mr Okraku-Mantey emphasized the importance of engaging with the business community and using their influence to build the capacity of people in Ayensuano.
In addition, Mr Okraku-Mantey promised to prioritize the needs of the farming community and explore opportunities in ecotourism. He aims to leverage his position as the Deputy Minister of Tourism to attract investors to develop ecotourism projects in the area.
“You have electricity, which is one of the sources of development and so, we just have to get businesses here. That is why I said, I am taking advantage of my network as a capitalist even before I became a politician.
“I’m going to convince and persuade businessmen to come and set up businesses here. As of now, I already have two who are ready to come into the communities to set up businesses,” he said.
“As Deputy Minister of Tourism, I have also seen opportunities with ecotourism and so, we are going to get investors to come back here and build something like Aburi Botanical Garden because we have a lot of drains here,” he added.
Unity
He vowed to unite the NPP at the grassroots level, urging party members to work selflessly and set aside personal interests to strengthen the party. He emphasized his ability to mobilize and inspire the youth as an entertainer, highlighting their crucial role in securing victory for the party.
“When it comes to the youth, I’m not sure anybody can drive the youth more than me as an entertainer. So I’m going to use that to drive the youth to all come together and fight for the seat. This is a traditional NPP seat, we just need to make a little effort and with the right leadership from the top and support from the grass root and if we believe in ourselves that we are going to do it, why not, leadership can make it happen” he said.
Meanwhile, highlife musician Kelvin Osei Danquah, known in the entertainment industry as Pasco Abrantie, has thrown his support behind Okraku-Mantey in the primaries. He questioned the “skirt and blouse” voting pattern observed in the constituency during the 2020 elections and emphasized the need for development and relief from burdens. Mr Danquah believes that Okraku-Mantey’s leadership can bring progress to Ayensuano.