Election 2024: Atiwa West District’s NCCE stages inter-party dialogue

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Atiwa West Constituency of the Eastern Region, in collaboration with the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), hosted a platform at Kwabeng on November 23, 2024, for political parties contesting the constituency's parliamentary election to present their messages to constituents.

Dr. Dennis Owusu-Appiah Ofosuapea, the NDC parliamentary candidate, was the only candidate in attendance. He responded to questions on agriculture, health, education, and security in his constituency, referring to the NPP's unresolved challenges as the ones to tackle most.

On restoring the agricultural pride of Atiwa West, once a food basket of the Eastern Region, Dr. Dennis assured that the NDC would establish an investment bank in the constituency to grant financial support to farmers willing to cultivate large-scale farming.

“Atiwa West is endowed with rivers and various sources of water. We will provide the indigents with equipment to start fish ponds, providing them with fingerlings on a large scale,” he added.

Dr. Dennis Owusu-Appiah Ofosuapea addressed the threat to security in the constituency, stating, "The NDC's 24-hour economy strategy will provide an opportunity to enhance the number of security officers across the country. It is my major priority to ensure that the youth in the Atiwa West Constituency are recruited into the various security services to make them financially independent."

The parliamentary candidate also lamented the threat of illegal mining in Atiwa West, an area notable for its illicit mining operations, noting that recovering the mining land is a viable option since both small and large-scale mining cannot be completely curbed.

According to him, to minimize illegal mining, the NDC will make two million dollars accessible for individuals ready to start any business to avert illegal mining while the party will employ individuals to work to reclaim the mining lands after indiscriminate mining.

On ensuring education in the district, he pledged, “I will ensure that the district assembly’s constitutional mandate to offer poor children and orphans access to education is strongly adhered to in the Atiwa West District to conform with Ghana’s education policy.”

Commenting on the NPP’s economic management, he asserted that the NPP is the biggest borrowing government in Ghana’s history after independence, which has borrowed from foreign donors yet could not eradicate the infrastructural deficit and account for the sums of money received.

Akyem Muosohene Osabarima Dr. Owusu Beyeeman, chairman of the event, felicitated the NCCE and IPDC for facilitating interaction between the parties and their supporters and lauded Dr. Dennis for his efforts to improve the area. “The people desire economic independence and peace at all times. I will urge the political parties in the Atiwa West Constituency to prioritize developing the towns under the constituency and to ensure peace beyond election years,” he admonished.

The moderator of the program, and Atiwa West District GNAT secretary, Mercy Adjoa Bonnie, noted that the program aims to elicit responses from the parliamentary candidates on key indicators of the IPDC and NCCE survey and to foster peace and unity among supporters of the candidates.

She believes that peace is essential for a country's growth, emphasizing that Ghana remains a haven for nations experiencing political instability, and advised supporters to refrain from accepting political party influence to stir up mayhem on election day.

Reverend Stephen Dwamena Kwateng of the Assemblies of God Church in Kwabeng remarked that political diversity is vital in Ghana's party system, and he urged followers to appreciate the perspectives of others as they prepare for the 2024 general election. He emphasized that the daily tasks of educating, working, and sticking to norms, as well as the nation’s progress, must continue without interruption, hence he urged Ghanaians to unite behind the winning party in the next election to curb lawlessness.

Atiwa West District Director of the NCCE, Joseph Owusu Koranteng, stated that the NCCE's current survey on "matters of concern to the Ghanaian voter" in the areas of education, health, agriculture, the economy, and people's lives requires solutions from parties seeking the electorates’ vote.

According to him, the NCCE continues to provide education on other aspects of communities’ challenges; however, he bemoans the lack of support in discharging its core mandate of intensifying education and reaching out to all the enclaves in the district.

“Election is about freedom of expression devoid of conflicts, therefore I urge the parties to focus on their campaign messages that seek to advance development and unity among the supporters,” he encouraged.

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