Until some four months ago, it seemed most likely that the political elections of December 2004 would be won hands down as always by the N.D.C so far as the Volta region is concerned.
The situation is no longer so. Now it’s que sera sera-whatever would be would be.
Network Herald on the ground investigations has unearthed a positive re-creation of the image of the New Patriotic Party in the once forbidden Volta region.
The image that has seen the party record zero percent in national elections seem to have been ostracized by a combination of factors- the inability of leaders they could refer to as kinsmen to appreciate their peculiar problems and a willingness on the part of some well meaning persons to give the Kufour administration a chance.
Though some will for whatever reason under estimate the political implications of the recent visit of Torgbuiawo to the Castle, most of the people we interacted with across the political divide (were of the opinion that it could only be an expression of the wishes of the people. “We sent them, they are our mouthpiece so if they do not talk for us who will”, asked Cephas Gidiglo who literally pleaded that we use his full name for the people to know how ‘die-hards’ like him feel today. “And don’t forget that our own blood could not assist us”, he added.
Areas around Hohoe, Biakoye and the almost unpluckable Anlo constituency are the most likely areas the ruling party could take for the first time if the right thing was done. The right thing? That has to do with the ability of the New Patriotic Party to demonstrate within four months, enough goodwill to dispel the perception the people of the region hold of it as a sectional / tribal party.
In the Anlo constituency for instance, most of the respondents were of the opinion that if Minister for Agriculture Major Courage Quashigah (rtd) would accept to contest as their Parliamentarian. But sources close to the Agriculture Minister say for the moment the retired ranger has not factored that into his political career.
Even though the people of Hohoe and its environs live further away from the devastation of the sea at Keta, they seemed impressed at the commitment of the Kufour administration towards finding a solution to the perennial sea devastation and the construction of the sea defence wall (some however felt it is the duty of a government to do that). Says Innocent Nyatefe an itinerary farmer at the outskirts of Hohoe, “ the biggest testimony of the capabilities of the N.P.P in this district is the way candidates of the ruling party swept the elections in my area”.
Already, most of the people the N.H talked to appear to have reconciled themselves to the fact that it may take a decade or two to get an Anlo-Ewe as president of Ghana. That to them is enough ground to employ a pragmatic approach towards national political issues.
The N.D.C has put out feelers to the N.P.P scare but indeed for now and almost unusually, most voters in the areas mentioned and indeed certain other places had not made up their minds yet. And since the N.P.P can counter the intimidations of yesteryear, it is almost probable that come 2004, the scale will tilt slightly in their favour.
