The Takoradi Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Western Region has taken its quest to garner more grass-roots support to ensure an overwhelming victory for both parliamentary and presidential candidates in the December 7 general elections with a massive health walk.
The purpose of the health walk which was held last Sunday, was to increase the vote margin of the Takoradi Constituency candidate, Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah and was supported by nine constituencies within the region.
Present at the event were a Vice-Presidential Staffer, Augustine Blay; Musician Bice Osei Kufour (Obour); Mr Isaac Armoh, former MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon; Mr Mireku Ducker, MP for Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Mr Joseph Cudjoe, MP for Effia.
The rest are Mr Ignatius Asaah Mensah, DCE for Mpohor; Regional Chairman, Ndede Siah; Regional Communications Director of the party, Issah Fuseini; regional and constituency executives of the party and some youth groups within the party.
Other highlights of the health walk dubbed,”4 More 4 Nana Victory Walk” include a free medical screening which was massively patronised and unveiling of a land awaiting sod-cutting to begin the construction of an astro turf expected to be completed before the end of the year.
The first to address the gathering was the Western Regional Chairman of the party, Ndede Siah charged the party faithfuls to go all out there to make sure that the party adds two additional seats to the 13 seats it already has to make it 15 out of the 17 seats available in the region.
He mentioned the seats like Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Sekondi, Essikado, Takoradi, Effia, Prestea-Huni Valley, Shama and Kwesimintsim as a done deal for the party.
However, the Chairman was quick to add that, “this doesn’t mean you should be complacent but the time to do hard work to sell the party’s message of hope to others and encourage more people to go out and vote massively come December, 7.”
Musician Bice Osei Kufour (Obour) commended the members for their dedication and love for the party and turning out in their numbers to support the Walk.
He noted that the collaboration among the parliamentary candidates (PCs) and their opponents who contested them in the party’s primaries have been overwhelming and commendable.
Mr Isaac Armoh, former MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon urged all Polling Station Agents to do their work out of love and commitment without inducement as they go to the Centers with vigilance especially, during the counting of the votes counting of the ballot papers, signing of the Pink Sheets and collation from the various Centers.
He urged all the Polling Station Agents not to trade their loyalty to the party and alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was bent on bribing Polling Station Agents and will approach some of them to convince them to add votes to theirs as against the NPP votes.
To this wake, he advised them to make sure that all the figures on the Pink Sheets tally in all and are the same on the one which would be signed and declared by the Returning Officer before they endorse it.
Mr Mireku Ducker, MP for Tarkwa-Nsuaem allayed the fears that the elections was going to be tough for him due to a diversionary tactics by some unknown persons in the party leading to a member of the party who contested him in the party’s primaries vying as an independent candidate.
He expressed the confidence of winning convincingly devoid of ‘skirt and blouse’ voting to bring victory to the party in the December 7 general elections.
Lawyer Egyapa Mercer, MP for Sekondi maintained that the 2020 elections is crucial to the NPP in that the NPPled Government has invested a lot in the Ghanaian economy, bringing hope to investors and Ghanaianss and therefore cannot sit aloof for this toil to go down the drain.
He called on the members not to give in to apathy and mobilise themselves to go out there and convince others into the fold of the party to secure massive victory for the party come December 7.
Lawyer Mercer also known as “Bobo” contended that Ghanaians should not make the mistake of bringing back the NDC who took the country to the IMF and brought so many restrictions to us which by dint of hard work and the effort of a competent team had brought the country out.
Mr Ignatius Asaah Mensah, DCE for Mpohor said the party was resolute in its quest to explore every avenue, including a one-on-one campaign, to win the elections.
“We are here with the message of hope. We are embarking on a retail campaign that will see us enter the ghettos, the bedrooms, the bathhouses, the shops and every corner to propagate the message to all people because there ought to be a change,” he added.
He said the policies that had been espoused by the party for the December 7 polls were tailored to alleviate poverty, especially in the rural areas, and bring the country back to the path of development.
Mr Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah, MP for Takoradi who doubles as the Western Regional Minister divulged that the good work and the massive infrastructural development that have been done by President Akufo-Addo which put the economy on a sound footing cannot be truncated by the NDC again.
He indicated that the numerous infrastructural projects undertaken by the NPP administration in the region is expected to create about 500 direct and indirect jobs for the teeming youth in the region.
He announced that plans are underway to construct a youth center at the New Takoradi enclave whereas the park termed as, “Kobby Park” would be made an astro turf before the end of the year to help boost sporting activities in the Constituency.
The Regional Minister also gave a strong assurance that he would not allow the Tarkwa-Nsuaem seat to fall into the hands of the opposition or any independent candidate under his watch as the Regional Minister.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
