Hundreds of people from New Jejeti and surrounding communities in the Atiwa East Constituency took to the streets on Sunday, September 29, 2024, in a unity walk that was aimed at aimed at strengthening the base of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The walk was held in preparation for the party’s Presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s visit next weekend.
Wearing party T-shirts with the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Abena Osei Asare and Dr. Bawumia’s pictures boldly embossed on it, the party faithful walked from New Jejeti to Old Jejeti, entertained by brass band music.
They explained the party’s manifesto to passersby, in an exercise that was led by constituency executives, while others conducted door-to-door campaigns in the houses along the road.
The Atiwa East NPP constituency chairman, Albert Kwaku Nuamah, urged the party members to vote massively for Abena Osei Asare and Dr. Bawumia, rejecting ‘skirt and blouse’ voting.
“Skirt and blouse should not be part of our thinking. If you go to the voting center to vote, always look for Dr. Bawumia who is number 1 on the Presidential ballot paper and Abena Osei Asare who is also number 1 on the Parliamentary ballot paper and vote for them”, he noted.
The Atiwa East NPP constituency Organiser, Seth Agyepong, popularly known as Wofa Donkor, underscored the need to keep the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its Presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, in opposition forever, citing their rejection in 2016 and 2020 to mean they have nothing good to offer the country.
“The NDC and John Dramani Mahama were rejected by Ghanaians in the 2016 general elections. Today, he wants to stage a comeback just like he did in 2020. How can a President who has been rejected twice by the people come and tell the same people to reconsider him, John Mahama and the NDC have not changed”, he stressed.
He added, “I have heard some party members saying they won’t vote. Please, have a change of mind. When the administration of then President Kufuor was coming to an end we heard some party members saying we haven’t got anything so we won’t vote.
“They went ahead to carry the threat and the NDC won the elections, came to power and derailed all the gains former President Kufuor made. If the NPP and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had won the 2008 elections and continued from where former President Kuffuor left, this country would have developed better than its current state”.
He urged members and sympathisers of the party to take the campaign to the people, from door-to-door and encouraged all those who have made up their minds not to vote to have a change of mind and go out to vote for Abena Osei-Asare and Dr. Bawumia.
Some party members shared testimonies of Abena Osei-Asare’s good works and Vice-President, Dr. Bawumia’s support.
Madam Kate, a single mother, credited the Free-SHS policy for helping her to educate her children.
“I was moved to join this unity walk because my children are beneficiaries of the Free-SHS policy introduced by President Akufo-Addo. That policy has helped thousands of women who are single parents, of which I am one. As mothers, the NPP has been our backbone and I entreat all of you to vote massively for Abena Osei-Asare and Dr. Bawumia. The NPP has good policies for us”.
Agyeiwaa Gyarteng Joyce, NPP women organiser, Atekyem polling station, praised the policy for enabling her four children to attend secondary school free of charge.
The unity walk was part of a broader strategy to unite the party at the polling stations and electoral areas.
From Stephen Odoi-Larbi
