I will retain my seat -Avoka
From William N-lanjerborr Jalulah, Zebilla
The MAJORITY LEADER in Parliament and the MP for Zebilla Constituency in the Upper East Region, Mr. Cletus Avoka on Wednesday launched his campaign ahead of the 2012 election with a firm promise to retain his seat.
Speaking to The Chronicle shortly before his campaign launch at Zebilla, the MP recounted his achievements and justified why he should be elected again to represent his people.
According to him, a good percentage of his MPs Common Fund had been used to support students in the various educational institutions, such as the Colleges of Education, Nurses’ Training Colleges, Universities and Polytechnics, so as to encourage them to come back and serve in the district to support its accelerated development.
Apart from being the Regional Minister in the Rawlings regime, Mr. Avoka was MP between 1993 and 2004, 1997/98, Minister for Lands and Forestry, and 1999/2000 Minister for Environment, Science and Technology. These positions, he said, were used to facilitate development of his district and constituency.
He said though the district assembly has the prime responsibility for development, he, as the Member of Parliament, assisted in the construction of new Police Station, District Hospital, District Assembly complex building, houses for workers, and opened up feeder roads connecting the district capital to the communities as MP and Minister.
He observed that these efforts had paid off because most of the youth in the constituency have achieved academic laurels and were serving in the area. He also said between 2009 to date, he had supported some of the youth to get jobs in the security services, National Youth Employment Programme.
“Politics is influence and I think that is why I am contesting again is the fact that, as the Majority Leader of my party in Parliament, as the leader of the entire house, and the leader of government business, it will be a disservice to my constituents, my party and my country if I just get up and say that having assumed that position within two or three years, I am resigning or stepping down. I felt that I have the energy, I have the strength, I have the capacity on my side to be able to continue to lead my people and assist my party and my country in the development of this country,” he stressed.
He also said during his stewardship as a Minister at the Interior Ministry in 2009, he was able to curb armed robbery to the barest minimum in the country with the support of the police, army and other security services. The MP also credited himself for clamping down on drug peddlers in the country.
According to Mr. Avoka, under his leadership as the Majority leader, with the support of his colleague MPs, all government businesses and programmes that were brought before the house were approved one way or other, be it ministerial appointments or loan agreements.
When asked of his chances of winning since there were other two candidates contesting him, Mr. Avoka said he was used to opposition because he had never contested election alone in the constituency and stressed that he would deliver the seat for the NDC.
Addressing party supporters and functionaries at the campaign launch later, the MP said the people of the area were with him, especially the youth, because they knew what he had done for them and what he would continue to do for them should they elect him again.
He entreated them to give him their mandate to enable him continue and complete the roads, bridges, school projects, and market projects he had started. He noted that Zebilla was the fastest growing town in the region and in order to empower women, more market centres had been established and asked the people to give him and the NDC 80% votes in the constituency come December 7.
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