By Ibrahim Mohammed Saani, GNA
Ashaiman, March 13, GNA – Former president John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has engaged artisans and informal sector workers in Ashaiman to understand their peculiar challenges and propose solutions.
The engagement, which formed part of his Greater Accra tour, was attended by large numbers of okada riders, transport operators, tilapia dealers, tailors, and scrap dealers, as well as supporters and sympathisers of the NDC.
Each group took turns putting forward their issues, beginning with the Ashaiman Municipal Transport Operation Council, which complained among other things, about their neglect despite their significant support for the NDC in presidential elections.
They said a major concern was the sharp disparity in road infrastructure between Ashaiman and neighbouring Tema, leading to increased maintenance costs for drivers and hindering economic progress, stressing that all their profits were being used for the purchase of spare parts.
They also emphasised the urgent need for a reduction in fuel prices, as well as the scrapping of burdensome taxes imposed on fuel, and therefore urged the flag bearer to address the issues if he returns to the office.
Other issues raised by the artisans and informal sector workers in Ashaiman included inadequate drainage infrastructure, leading to flooding of the main lorry station.
Scrap dealers in the area also lamented over the sale of their business land to private developers and therefore, called for intervention for an alternative place to operate from, while also calling for the regulation of their business as a measure to boast economic benefit and increase tax collection.
Other issues raised by the various groupings included the escalating production cost of tilapia, the legalisation of okada operations, the high price of motorcycles, the impact of high utility bills, and the soaring prices of sewing equipment on the dressmaking industry.
Mr Mahama, responding to the concerns, reaffirmed the NDC’s commitment to serving the interests of all citizens and pledged to prioritise developmental projects in Ashaiman.
He acknowledged the similarities of the issues raised with those from other regions, adding that he was surprised at the lack of maintenance on roads that his previous administration asphalted.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration between government and stakeholders to address the many challenges facing the community.
Mr Mahama outlined the plans of the NDC for infrastructure improvement in road construction, the completion of abandoned e-blocks, and the establishment of essential facilities like community day schools and municipal hospitals.
The NDC flagbearer expressed concerns over indiscriminate land sales by assemblies and chiefs, stating the importance of preserving land for social amenities such as hospitals and schools and pledging to advocate for responsible land management practices.
Mr Mahama announced plans to assess municipal and district chief executives based on performance criteria, indicating that through such assessments, his administration would replace those who failed to meet expectations to ensure effective governance at the local level.
He reaffirmed his commitment to legalising and regulating the okada business and promised to send leaders to study similar models in Kenya and Uganda for the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies to benefit all stakeholders.
He unveiled his plans for a national apprenticeship programme to support vocational training through municipal and district assemblies to empower young people, especially school dropouts, with valuable skills to ensure they were well prepared for the job market.
The NDC leader also bemoaned the current electricity challenges Ghana was facing, stating that outages were a result of fuel shortages rather than faulty transformers as claimed by authorities, and emphasised the need for adequate funding to resolve the issue and ensure reliable power supply.
GNA