I’ll quit as MP soon – Okyere Baafi

The Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi says he will quit from Politics as an MP after serving his people for a brief period.

Okyere Baafi explained that his motivation for becoming a Member of Parliament was for a purpose, that, when accomplished, he will not seek reelection.

“My interest in politics as I always tell people around me is that they shouldn’t see me as someone who is going to engage in politics for a very long time in Koforidua. I came in for a purpose. I came to participate in Koforidua politics for a purpose. God knows my heart. I came in to help the development of Koforidua.

“I will leave in a short period for another person to take over. That is all that I came to do, So I need your prayers and goodwill support,” he said during a forum organized for constituents at Koforidua Old Estate to interact with him on Sunday, April 12, 2021.

Michael Okyere Baafi was elected on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, in the 2020 parliamentary election which he won with 47,862 votes. He succeeded Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah who was a lawmaker for the New Juaben South Constituency for 12 years.

Okyere Baafi took office on January 7, 2021. He is using the recess of Parliament to engage his constituents.

Some of the prominent issues raised during the engagement with the constituents Sunday were poor roads, malfunctioning street lights, Sanitation, unemployment, and insecurity.

The MP assured them of efforts to address their concerns.

He, however, bemoaned that residents of Old Estate have rejected the project he intends to start at a waste collection center.

“In 2018, State Housing Company complained about the dumping site in the Old Estate that it was affecting their ratings in terms of sanitation. So they wanted to sell the land to a private developer but I decided to purchase the land in 2020 for the community so that I construct an event center, library, and a Police post. We will build an NPP office there if there is still enough land available.”

He continued “I purchased the land as a Member of Parliament for over 1 million cedis. We decided to start the project at a go for completion within six months but the residents rejected the project that they still want to use the land as a waste collection center. So how can someone invest over a million cedis to purchase land and another six million to build this edifice for the community and still be opposed”.

Michael Okyere Baafi said, broader consultation will be done on the project.