Lack of effective Political leadership retards progress- Candidate

Tarkwa (W/R), Dec 5, GNA - Mr. John Nyamekye Ansah-Mensah, an independent candidate for Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency has attributed the slow pace of development in Wassa West District to lack of effective political leadership.

He said good promises and proposals are shelved owing to ineffective leaders, who could follow up to ensure that promises were fulfilled and proposals approved for implementation.

Mr Ansah- Mensah cited construction of a new hospital at Tarkwa promised by President Kufuor in the year 2000.

He said when he is voted to power, he would ensure that a new hospital, befitting Tarkwa is built in addition to a nursing training school, adding, "governments have come and gone with a lot of promises regarding the construction of a new hospital but all to no avail." Mr Ansah-Mensah said this at a rally at Tarkwa on Friday.

Preceding the rally was a brass band procession through some principal streets of Tarkwa and ended at Community Centre where he addressed his supporters.

Touching on education, Mr Ansah-Mensah said, he would embark on expansion programme by lobbying for construction of additional dormitories at Tarkwa Senior Secondary and Fiaseman Senior Secondary schools in order to accommodate a lot of students and thereby creating access for a lot of children to acquire formal education.

He said he would lobby for the construction of Secondary Technical School at Nsuaem to cater for a large area in the constituency covering Simpa, Dompim, Kyekyewere and Adiewoso, which have no access to such an institution.

Mr Ansah-Mensah said the Wassa West District Assembly has been politicised and the strings of the leadership were being pulled to suit the will and interests of the Members of Parliament (MPs) in the District.

He regretted that contracts are being giving to teachers and others who were undertaking shoddy work.

He said the status of Wassa West as a municipal Assembly is long overdue and it is time to ensure that the status is given to accelerate development in the area, adding that in spite of the numerous resources available in Wassa West it is lagging behind in development.