By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Nov. 24, GNA – The SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) branch of the Progressive Intellectuals (PI), has taken the Election 2024 campaign to a notch higher, engaging in one-on-one campaign and voter education on the streets and market centres in Wa.
The move by the group was to canvas votes for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, former President John Dramani Mahama and the Parliamentary candidate for the Wa Central Constituency, Dr Hassan Rashid Pelpuo.
The PI is a coalition of university lecturers, researchers and administrators who had thrown their weight behind the NDC in its bid to wrestle power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The street campaign by the coalition, which was the second edition, saw party faithfuls and members of PI wielding placards, some of which read: “8 years of total economic stagnation”, “Free primary healthcare” and “Ghanaians deserve a better life”.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the street campaign, Professor Elijah Yendaw, the Coordinator of PI, SDD-UBIDS branch, said the current economic hardship in the country, had informed their decision to support the NDC to wrestle power from the NPP as Ghana goes to the polls on December 7.
“Indeed, we are all aware of the gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy and the wanton corruption perpetuated by the NPP on Ghanaians that has brought us a lot of hardship.
We have no other option…we have the duty to take them (NPP) out of power so that John Mahama and the NDC can come in and rewrite all the wrongs that they have inflicted on us,” he explained.
Prof. Yendaw indicated that voter education was necessary to reduce spoilt ballots during voting, which could affect the NDC’s presidential and parliamentary candidates.
Prof. Frederick Dayuor, the Organiser of PI, SDD-UBIDS branch, said members of the coalition were also feeling the pains emanating from the economic hardship, which every Ghanaian was facing.
He said the coalition would do everything within its power to ensure the NDC won the December 7 election “to save Ghanaians from the economic hardship.”
He appealed to the electorates to their polling stations on December 7 to cast their ballot and hoped that Ghanaians would vote massively for the NDC for a change and for the betterment of the country.
Prof. Damasus Tuurosong, a member of the coalition, observed that the current economic circumstance had made it necessary for all well-meaning Ghanaians to press for a change in government.
He described the exercise as a success since many of the people they encountered sounded positive about voting for the NDC on December 7.
“We are all in the system, we are all suffering from the economic hardship and traders are saying their businesses are crumbling.
Many people we met today will tell you, for us we don’t have a problem don’t waste your breath, we are all out for you (NDC), change is coming, and we are all part of the change,” Prof Tuurosong stated.
The PI climaxed the street campaign and voter education with a meeting with some electorate from the Wa West Constituency to seek their support for the Wa West NDC’s parliamentary candidate, Superintendent (Rtd) Peter Lanchene Toobu during the election.
GNA