The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for Manhyia South Constituency in the Ashanti region, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has organised a mammoth health walk in Kumasi, with a declaration that the Constituency will not fall to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), come December 7, 2024.
The Manhyia South Constituency health walk, the first of its kind in the region, ahead of the December 7 polls, started from the Serwaa Nyarko Senior High School (SHS) at Dichemso in the wee hours of Saturday morning and ended at the Abbey’s Park.
Amidst dancing and singing, the participants, wielding placards which trumpeted policies the NPP government intends to introduce in 2025, some of which read, “A leader with his own vision”, “De-link the creation of district from constituency”, “More jobs for the youth”, “Paperless system at the port” , “Drones for medical delivery is working”, “Digitalization”, “Continuation of free SHS, “Digitalization of the judiciary”, “No betting tax” and “307 ambulance for health support” among others.
Addressing the event at the Abbey’s Park Astroturf, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the PC for Manhyia South, made scathing remarks on the candidature of NDC flag bearer, John Mahama and the NDC in general.
Agyei Baffour Awuah, who is a lawyer by profession, indicated that he has been on the grounds and the message from the electorate is that they will not vote for the NDC and Mahama.
In a direct message to John Mahama, he said: “They say they won’t vote for NDC today or tomorrow; the NDC can choose to tar all the roads in Manhyia South with gold, but they won’t vote for them.”
This pronouncement, according to lawyer Agyei Bafour, was based on the abysmal performance of John Mahama, having occupied the highest office of the land before.
“In this upcoming poll, we do not know the NDC. All that we know is to express our appreciation to Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia. Manhyia South says they have not forgotten about the abysmal performance of John Dramani Mahama when he was the president of Ghana, following the demise of the late Prof. Evans Atta Mills, with an infamous declaration that the meat has been eaten to the bone.”
The constituency , he continued, has not forgotten the power crisis ex-president Mahama plunged Ghanaians into, emphasising that the December elections is about darkness and light.
Lawyer Agyei Baffour lauded the running mate for the NPP, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, aka NAPO, who doubles as the outgoing Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, for his achievements in the constituency.
To Lawyer Agyei Baffour, the transformation of sports facilities such as the Abbey’s Park, Dichemso Block B Park and Konadu-Yiadom Park into modern playing fields, are some of the reasons the constituents are rooting for the NPP.
According to the PC for Manhyia South , had it not been NAPO, there would not have been a library infrastructure called Nana Afia Kobi Library in the constituency, adding that the constituents are ever grateful for the educational support NAPO has provided to the constituency.
He told the gathering that NAPO excelled in all ministerial positions he was assigned to, a feat which has brought honour to Manhyia South constituency.
The General Secretary for the NPP, Justin Frimpong Koduah (JFK) asked the residents of Ashanti region not to forget about the deliberate capitation grant maltreatment the NDC subjected Ashanti region to sometime in 2015, a challenge which was impeding healthcare delivery in the region.
Apart from the capitation grant maltreatment, JFK accused the NDC of superintending over the power crisis, with Ashanti region being the hardest hit. This energy crisis, according to him, compelled the NPP to protest and ask why the region was being maltreated.
Fast-forward to the NPP administration, the Ashanti region has seen enormous development projects under the Akufo Addo administration.
“Today, in the Ashanti region, road constructions are rampant and the region has been provided with an International Airport. The construction of Boankra inland Port, Phase two of the Central Market and Komfo Anokye Maternity Block are underway.”
In view of the above, JFK implored the residents of Ashanti region to eschew apathy and vote for the NPP during the polls.
“It will be an abomination for the Ashanti region to sit back on December 7, 2024 for some people to say that they want to go to market and cast their votes later. If we do not step out and vote massively, we will not meet our expectations.”
He subsequently pleaded with the residents to step out and vote for NPP if they want Suame Interchange, expansion of Kumasi-Accra Highway, KATH Maternity Block among others to be completed.
