Honesty and genuine engagement Key to winning Essikado-Ketan seat – Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu Dankwah
The NDC Member of Parliament-elect for the Essikado-Ketan Constituency, Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah, believes her honesty and openness to the people in the area helped her win the seat from the NPP.
In an interview, Prof. Dr Ayensu Danquah highlighted that election dynamism has changed and that it’s about time politicians present their authentic selves to the people they wish to serve.
Recounting her election strategies to Arafat Musa, host of the Western Echo Show, Prof. Dr. Ayensu-Dankwah said her constant connection with the people aided in her victory.
She mentioned that the electorates have voted for them to work for regional development, and that should be the focus.
“As politicians, especially this new crop of politicians that we are coming up, this metro needs help. The people have voted for us to come and change the face of the metropolitan area in the western region. It is the western regional capital. So we really have a task and a mandate to fulfill, and I’m hoping that or, I’m wishing. I am praying that we actually fulfill the mandate, the promises that we made to the people we should actually fulfill because that is the only way we can come back in 4 years and ask for another mandate,” She said.
Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Dankwah reiterated her commitment to empowering the youth through skills acquisition and development as well as creating job opportunities.
This, she said, will be in fulfilment of her promise to them before the just-ended elections.
“I really need to start the things that I said I would. For instance, I said I’ll help the youth. So this election, it was the youth that actually voted for me massively. I was at 88,000, almost 100 or 200 votes. I’m ahead 8,000 vote from the margin.
So those 8,000 youth that came to vote, earn extra 8,000 that came to vote for me, they’re expecting something from, and the expectation for me is that they are desperate. They need jobs. Those who want to go to school, they can’t. Those who have gone to school can’t find jobs. Those who want to learn a skill, don’t know how, and those who have already learned a skill don’t have the tools.
So the issue here is that for me, I should at least address those issues that I promised the youth. I promised them I’d give them Aboboyaa and Pragya work and pay. I promise I even extend it to taxis, work and pay. I need to be seen by 2 years doing exactly what I promised them. So that even after 2 years, I haven’t done 100% and I’ve done 10, 20%.
They know that I’m on the right trajectory; I’m on the right track; this is where I’m going, and she will deliver. I think that is what they want to see. They don’t want to see empty promises. They don’t want to see politicians who come one district, one factory, 8 years down the line. There’s not even one district and one factory,” Prof. Ayensu-Danquah added.
