No dev’t, no vote in 2016 - Youth tell MP

Angry youth of Apah, a fast developing community within Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra region, have emphatically stated that they would not cast ballot for the Member of Parliament (MP) for Amasaman Constituency, Nii Okai Emmanuel Laryea, in the 2016 if he failed to bring infrastructure development to the community.

The youth took the stance after noting that the MP though a member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) failed to lobby his party and government to embark on social and infrastructure development in his constituency.

Accusing the MP of turning a deaf ear to their numerous petitions they sent him concerning the poor state of road network and dilapidated nature of their school classrooms, the youth told the MP point blank that they would recall him from the Legislature if he did not sit up.

They expressed their frustrations on Sunday June 14, 2015 when Hon. Laryea visited the community to grace a public forum dubbed “Talk Show” organised by one Bright Avorwudor, an aspiring Assembly Member of Apah Electoral Area, Mr. Bright Avorwudor to chart the way forward for the socio-economic development in Apah community.

Sources told Today that after the event, Hon. Laryea went to inspect ongoing infrastructure projects at Apah Municipal Assembly (MA) Primary School and instead of minding his own business the honorable MP decided to interact with the youth who were watching football Gala on the Apah MA Primary School Park.

However to his surprise he was met with a cold welcome amidst boos and gears, whilst accusations of non-performance flew in the air.

The youth according to sources chanted choruses like, "No Road, No School, No Performance, No Vote in 2016 general election...Our MP go away from us...MP we say go away from us...we don’t need you here"

They indicted the MP for not fulfilling his 2012 campaign promise to construct the road and improve on both social and infrastructure development of the Apah community.

They claimed that despite several pleas on the Member of Parliament to ensure the community also benefitted from the national cake in terms of physical development he had pretended not to hear their plea.

According to them, since the MP was not ready to listen to their concerns they also saw no need to listen to him anytime he visited the Apah community.

"Our MP has taken us for granted," the youth stressed and lauded recent remarks by the opinion and traditional leaders of Apah community concerning the poor commitment shown by the Municipal Chief Executive of Ga West Municipal Assembly, the MP and NDC towards the area's development.

The youth registered their displeasure about the Apah community’s general lack of social and infrastructure development and fired salvos at the NDC government as well as its appointees and representatives in the area for taking them for granted.

Many residents in Apah community who spoke to Today complained bitterly about the bad nature of roads in the area, the poor sanitation as well as fallen education standards.

They described the MP and Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ga West Municipal Assembly as "dysfunctional leaders."

Another resident said, “Our MP cannot lobby for projects for the Amasaman constituency despite his long stay in parliament and government…we will not allow him to misuse us next year… next year no performance, no vote, period.”

They averred that it has been a tactics of the NDC and MP to parade tractors and bulldozers on various project sites and roads to trick the people into voting for them during election year.

They therefore called on all people of Amasaman not to be deceived this time around by his empty promises.

“He always rides on us to win election and later abandon us. This time we have to advise ourselves,” they stressed.

They also called on the youth in the area to open their eyes and reject the MP and NDC in 2016 General Elections.

Hon. Laryea could not be reached for his response as his phone was off as at press time yesterday.