By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, June 28, GNA – Residents of sanitation-poor and poorly lit streets of Anyaa-Sowutuom want their next Member of Parliament (MP) to get them out their predicament.
They said youth unemployment, poor street lightening and poor state of sanitation in the Constituency were a threat to the very survival.
In an interview with the GNA, they said the candidates of the two main parties, namely Emmanuel Tobbin of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Emmanuel Adotei Allotey of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should prioritise those issues during their ongoing campaigns.
Madam Adwoa Boakye and Madam Lily Asabea are traders at the Chantan-Market who, have listened to the campaign messages of the two main candidates, promising among others to support women like them with loans to expand their businesses.
Though they are swayed by their promises, they will vote for an aspirant who will lobby for policies and programmes on job creation to benefit the many unemployed youth in the constituency regardless of the party.
“Many of the young men here are into betting and criminal activities… It is not their fault as there are no jobs. I will vote for the candidate who will facilitate the implementation of government programmes on jobs that will employ the youth in the constituency,” Adwoa Boakye, a second-hand clothing seller said.
Lily, boiled eggs (Kosua ne Meko) vendor in the same market, is expecting the NDC’s candidate’s campaign promise of funding skills training to materialise when given the mandate.
“I have been looking for financial support to learn sewing. I heard the NDC parliamentary candidate, at a house-to-house campaign say he will sponsor a skills training programme for the unemployed. I will give him my vote because I want to benefit from the scheme,” she said.
Adwoa Asamoah, a hairdresser at Awoshie, on the issue of unemployment, urged the NPP Parliamentary candidate, Emmanuel Tobbin, who she believed will win, to facilitate the extension of the Planting for Food and Jobs Initiative to the constituency.
A motor tricycle (Pragya) driver who identified himself as Smith, hailed the campaign promise of Emmanuel Tobbin, the NPP parliamentary candidate, to invest in youth education.
The school dropout said he will vote for the aspiring law maker so he can benefit. “Poverty pushed me into this business. I have heard Emmanuel Tobbin promising to help youth education in this constituency so I will vote for him.” he said.
They will have to convince the thousands of constituents, particularly the youth, many of whom are unemployed, to place their confidence in them to represent their interest.
Paa Kwesi Quansah, a banker, is disappointed at the long-time neglect of malfunctioning and broken-down street and traffic lights in many parts of the constituency.
A constant commuter along the Awoshie-Pokuase and Goerge Walker Bush highways, he, told the GNA how he had, on several occasions, witnessed road crashes and vehicular knockdowns of pedestrians.
He further complained about the poor nature of the local drainage systems which are often choked with filth hence cannot effectively channel flashfloods.
This, he said, caused many unpaved feeder roads to develop potholes and paved ones around places like Awoshie to flood, when it rained.
Paa Kwesi said he has lost hope, hence would not vote because responsible authorities and the MP showed no commitment to solving the problem.
“I have seen school children and adults die on the highways because they were involved in road crashes or hit by cars because the street and traffic lights are not working. Driving at night is very risky. The current MP, Adomako Kissi and the assembly have done nothing about it so why will I waste my time to vote?” He questioned.
He was also appalled by the unsanitary conditions in parts of the constituency. “I always see rubbish dumped on pavement near Anyaa Market. Most of the time. It stays there for several days before it is collected. Whichever MP that comes to power should work with the Assembly to address this issue because it is irritating,” he said.
Issah Ahmed, a trotro driver and Ewurakua, a student shared Paa Kwesi’s sentiments as they narrated how they had participated in past protests to attract attention to the streetlight issue with failed hopes of getting it solved.
“I have participated in several demonstrations along this highway on the constant vehicle knockdowns, especially of school children but to no avail so I have decided to vote for a candidate who will get this age-old problem solved.” Issah said.
“I won’t vote until I see the street and traffic light fixed. Crossing the road especially in the evening is very dangerous.” Maabena noted.
Anyaa Sowutuom is one of the twenty-one constituencies in the Greater-Accra Region. It is located in the Ga Central Municipality. The Constituency was carved out of Weija Constituency.
It has a population of about 332,232 and 135,000 registered voters. It has been a stronghold for the ruling NPP since its creation. Dickson Adomako Kissi is the current MP.
This year’s election will be keenly contested in the constituency deviled with many challenges especially between the two major candidates of the NPP and NDC represented by Emmanuel Tobbin and Emmanuel Adotey Allotey respectively, as voters seek a messianic figure to walk them out of the woods.
GNA