MP Okulley Nortey looses primaries

Accra, May 13, GNA - Mr. Robert Sarbah, an Assembly Member has been elected in a round-off of the primaries to contest for the Ablekuma Central Constituency seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In the first round of the election at the weekend, Mr. Sarbah polled 31 votes, while Mr Amuah Awuah also polled 31 votes; Mr. Jonathan Quaye and Mr Okulley Nortey polled 28 and 20 respectively. Mr. Sarbah later emerged winner when he polled 71 votes in the round-off while his challenger Mr Awuah had 36 votes.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on his agenda for his constituency when voted into office, Mr. Sarbah observed that the position of a Member of Parliament presupposes popular representation, adding that in all situations when one represents the interest of whole people, policies and programmes would have to be in their best interest. He added; "in that sense you don't begin telling the people what you would do for them", you would then be playing on their intelligence and the smart ones can ask you a simple question, "how would you do it at all".

Mr. Sarbah said it is not however out of place to say what you can achieve together as a people with like minds and common interests, adding that, in Ablekuma Central we have very fundamental needs, education being a prime area, and this is an area "I would be committed to working at, by ensuring that we rehabilitate most of the schools and set up incentive packages to brilliant but needy students".

He said another fundamental area of need was the poor drainage system and thank God contract had been awarded to the Chinese Top Construction Firm at the cost of four million dollars.

Mr Sarbah noted that problems in the area are so numerous that it would not be possible to approach them all at once, adding that, they ranged from health needs to roads rehabilitation, all of which were capital intensive and needed dynamism and effective planning. The aspiring MP said he would define a clear agenda with the people so that they could together identify and prioritize the needs of the constituency. He said there were so many things to think about and sort out and prayed to be elected as MP, adding; "my overall idea is to make my constituency better off than I find it today and I will do just that".