By Agbaxode Emmanuel
Akatsi (VR), May 20 (GNA) – Mr Edem Unity Avege has urged Akatsi South residents to appreciate developmental projects undertaken by Mr Bernard Ahiafor, the Member of Parliament for the constituency, despite criticisms from some sections of the public.
Mr Edem Unity Avege, Deputy Communications Officer for the Akatsi South National Democratic Congress (NDC) said while criticism remained an essential part of democratic governance; it was equally important for the public to acknowledge interventions being implemented across various sectors within the Akatsi South Municipality.
Mr Avege made the remarks during a tour conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) across some communities in the Municipality following recent criticisms directed at the MP.
The tour engaged residents, youth, and opinion leaders in beneficiary communities and highlighted interventions in education, health, road infrastructure, water and sanitation, and youth empowerment.
Among the projects observed were classroom blocks in communities such as Alorkpa, Glikpome, Wodome, Dzuepe, Zuta, and Duowodome aimed at improving teaching and learning conditions.
Residents also cited interventions at Akatsi Senior High Technical School (AKAST), including the provision of a girls’ dormitory block, teachers’ accommodation, sanitation facilities, and desks.
Mr Avege told the GNA that Mr Ahiafor had, over the years, supported needy but brilliant students through the payment of school fees, provision of educational materials, and other forms of academic assistance.
He said some beneficiaries were students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences and other tertiary institutions across the country.
Mr Avege explained that support had also been extended to the Municipal Education Directorate and some schools through the provision of computers, furniture, and teaching and learning materials.
He added that some schools, including Akatsi No. 1 Junior High School, had benefited from Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory projects aimed at enhancing digital learning.
According to him, the MP had also supported educational programmes and sponsored child-centred educational initiatives in recent years.
In the health sector, Mr Avege said some communities had benefited from the construction of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and nurses’ accommodation facilities in communities such as Ahlepedo and Zuta, as well as renovation works at the Wute Health Centre.
He added that efforts were underway by government to complete the abandoned Akatsi Municipal Hospital project.
Mr Avege further stated that several communities had benefited from borehole projects aimed at improving access to potable drinking water, while some feeder roads within the Municipality were undergoing reshaping and construction works to improve transportation and economic activities.
On youth empowerment, he said hundreds of young people had benefited from the “MP’s Apprenticeship Support Initiative.”
He explained that vocational and skills training programmes had also been supported in areas such as tailoring, hairdressing, welding, carpentry, and other artisanal trades.
Mr Avege said some youth groups had additionally benefited from apprenticeship support packages, startup assistance, and vocational empowerment initiatives aimed at promoting self-employment and economic independence.
However, some residents appealed to Mr Ahiafor to intensify efforts toward attracting more development projects, including the construction of Akatsi township roads, industries, and job opportunities to help address unemployment challenges facing the youth in the Municipality.
“We appreciate some of the interventions, but the youth still expect more job opportunities and economic empowerment programmes,” a resident popularly known as “Area” stated.
Others called for expanded support for vocational training, entrepreneurship, and technical education to enable more young people to become self-reliant.
The residents, however, encouraged Mr Ahiafor, who also serves as First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, to remain focused on his developmental agenda despite criticisms from some sections of the public.
They stressed the need for constructive engagement and unity among residents to accelerate the socio-economic development of the constituency.
Some project sites visited by the GNA showed steady progress of work.
Mr. Bernard Ahiafor is currently serving his fourth term as Member of Parliament for Akatsi South. He first entered Parliament in 2013 after winning the Akatsi South by-election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and has since retained the seat in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 general elections.
Mr Ahiafor has therefore served as MP for about 13 years as of 2026. During his tenure, he served as an NDC MP while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in government from 2017 to 2025, continuing to represent the interests of the people of Akatsi South from the Minority side in Parliament.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah /Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Agbaxode Emmanuel
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