By Edward Williams
Jasikan (O/R), Nov. 23, GNA – Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Buem Constituency and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate, has accounted to constituents on his stewardship for the past four years as the MP.
He also outlined his policies to be executed if given another chance to represent them in Parliament, 2025.
Mr Adams, at the 2024 Parliamentary Candidates’ Dialogue organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), said the Constituency was a farming area which required major investment in agriculture.
He said employment, economics, health and infrastructure were essential issues of concern to the constituents and promised to do more to alleviate these problems.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) Candidates ‘boycotted’ the dialogue.
Mr Adams expressed regret about the absence of the Candidates, adding that boycotting such platforms had the tendency retarding the growth of State institutions, especially the NCCE.
He said the supply of cocoa seedlings had led to an increase in the number of young people interested in agriculture with more willing to join.
Mr Adams said he intended to create farm banks in the Constituency by approaching families that had large acres of land to give them out to more people to be cultivated.
He said the 1992 Constitution of Ghana had captured progressively Free Senior High School (Free SHS), hence the NDC could not be described as a Party against the Free SHS policy.
Mr Adams said the beneficiaries of the Free SHS as put out by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in its campaign as five million was a misinformation since the actual beneficiaries stood a little above three million.
He said health was a key area of concern to him as the MP who had been providing equipment to improve the quality of health of constituents.
Mr Adams said his support during Covid-19 could be felt while he continued to provide consumables to health facilities in the Constituency.
However, the government’s Agenda 111 hospital in the Municipality was currently stalled adding that the NDC administration would continue its completion, he stated.
Mr Adams said the NDC’s 24-Hour Economy Policy, Big Push, Skills Training and Coding Programme for young people would benefit a lot of Buem Constituents who would be trained and equipped to improve their standard of living.
He said 25,000 more security personnel would have to be recruited to ensure the success of the 24-Hour Economy once it took off.
Mr Adams said road networks in the Constituency were already assessed but foremost, culverts must be constructed to make all community roads accessible before face-lifting the main nature of the roads.
He said he was committed to peace and expected that all parties would campaign on issues devoid of personal attacks.
Miss Annie Sapaty, the Deputy Director of Programme, NCCE said the democracy practiced in Ghana was a representative one which was why elections were held every four years to give or renew mandate of representatives to represent citizens’ interest.
She said it was commendable that the country had gone through eight successful polls in its general elections.
Miss Sapaty said the incidence of rejected ballots remained an issue that the Commission was concerned with adding that the 2020 general elections recorded about 313,374 ballots that were rejected hence calling on all citizens to help educate each other on how to vote properly.
She said findings of the Commission on matters of concern to the citizenry showed that education, economy, health, growth and infrastructure and agriculture were prominent.
Mr Stephen Mensah, the Jasikan Municipal Director, NCCE said the Dialogue provided an opportunity for the Candidates and citizens to engage in meaningful dialogue, exchange ideas and discuss the issues that mattered most to the citizenry.
He said the Dialogue also aimed to foster transparency, understanding and collaboration while working together toward a peaceful, free and fair election.
Mr Mensah said the Candidates would share their vision and plans for the betterment of the constituents while engaging in constructive discussions that reflected the diversity of thought and ideas.
Safety and security messages were delivered by the National Road Safety Authority, Electoral Commission and security services.
GNA