SekondiTakoradiDeservesBetter Campaign: “He has failed to respect the voices and concerns of the people; this is just the beginning” – Concerned group
In the wake of the recent protest that took place on October 27, 2023, where the Concerned Youth of Sekondi-Takoradi, expressed their discontent with the state of development in the metropolis, the protesters have issued a determined response to the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah after he granted an interview to Asempa FM in Accra.
Speaking at a press briefing in Takoradi on Monday, October 30, 2023, the leadership of the group accused the Minister of disregarding their voices and concerns, further affirming that this is only the beginning of their advocacy for development.
The group claims that the entire metropolis supports their call for development and will not be discouraged by what they perceive as the Minister’s attempts to divert the conversation.
“As a leader he has failed to respect the voices and concerns of the people, but we want to assure him that this is just the beginning. As a group, the entire metropolis is behind us, our call for development will not be weakened by the cheap framing our minister has resorted to. We know that this is their stock in trade -ignore the issues and attach the people; we were ready for this and remain resolute.”
In a resolute statement, they argue that the Minister has failed to address the legitimate concerns raised by the protesters and instead has attempted to frame the issues differently through the media. They contend that they are aware of such tactics and remain steadfast in their call for progress and prosperity that they believe the region has long deserved.
“If he has some dignity, we challenge him to address the issues raised and tell us that they are not legitimate concerns that reflect our city. We are aware of all the schemes, the use of the media to change the narrative so that the conversation is shifted from the salient development issues to the framing imposed on the protesters”, they added.
The protesters urge the Regional Minister to reconsider his position and join them in pursuing a shared vision of a brighter future for Sekondi-Takoradi.
“Sekondi-Takoradi deserves better, and our community remains steadfast in its call for the progress and prosperity that have long been overdue. We implore the Regional Minister to reconsider his stance and join us in a shared vision of a brighter future for our beloved town.”
Background
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, expressed disregard for the recent demonstration that took place in Sekondi-Takoradi on Friday, October 27, 2023.
During the demonstration, the Concerned Youths of Sekondi-Takoradi, donned in red and black, voiced their displeasure with the level of development in the metropolis.
In an interview with Asempa FM, the regional minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah questioned the significance of the protest, stating, “this is not an issue. Look at the number of people that went; Takoradi people don’t believe in what they [protesters] said. How many are they?”
He further described the demonstration as a “Monkey-Kaakro-demonstration” and accused the demonstrators of being ungrateful for the work being carried out in the metropolis, asserting that, “there’s nothing wrong with Takoradi, and everyone knows it.”
