Konongo (Ash), July 8, GNA- The race for the Asante Akim-North Constituency Parliamentary seat has already gathered momentum barely five months to election with Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) bracing himself up for a fierce contest. Unlike the first three terms when he won without formidable opposition,
Mr. Baah Wiredu this time seems to find a strong contender in Mr. Alexander Osei-Tutu, an independent aspirant, who broke away from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), after the incumbent was elected at a recent primary held at Agogo.
Mr. Osei-Tutu, believed to be in the camp of one Andy Appiah-Kubi who lost the primary to Mr. Baah-Wiredu has vowed to unseat the affable MP who is seeking a fourth consecutive term in Parliament.
Though, Mr. Osei-Tutu is gradually gaining popularity among the electorate, Mr. Baah-Wiredu still remains a force to reckon with, having spearheaded a considerable number of projects in the constituency since 1996.
Last Sunday's forum was a setting for the demonstration of each contender's determination to win the bid through thick or thin. The event was the second in a series of platforms being created by the Municipal Oversight Committee (MOC) of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to enable the various aspirants to share their vision with the electorate.
Other aspirants who took part in the exercise were Mr. Thomas Osei Bonsu, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr. Bashiru Mohammed Tijani, Democratic Freedom Party (DFP).
In their quest to demonstrate their unflinching support, the teeming supporters of Mr. Osei-Tutu almost marred the exercise as they brought proceedings to a temporary halt on several occasions, with thunderous applauses, especially when Mr. Baah-Wiredu was given the floor.
Mr. Baah-Wiredu who seemed to rely on his past achievements to win the seat recounted a number of projects, both completed and on-going and urged the people to retain him to ensure sustainable development. He said his tenure had seen many youth in the constituency securing jobs while others had gained admission into various tertiary institutions to pursue further studies.
He also announced that plans were underway to convert the Konongo-Odumase Senior High School into a University of Agriculture, adding that, the Konongo Sports Stadium would soon be upgraded at a cost of GH¢ 8 million.
Mr. Osei-Tutu for his part said he would address the unemployment among the youth and wondered why unemployment rate should be high in the constituency while Konongo was a mining town.
He noted that, he would source for soft loans to boost small scale enterprises and improve the standard of education in the constituency, which he said, was dwindling steadily.
He said the time for change had arrived, in that he was the right man to effectively steer the development agenda of the constituency through consultative and dynamic leadership.
Mr. Thomas Osei Bonsu, the NDC Parliamentary aspirant bemoaned the poor standard of education in the constituency, accusing the MP of giving most resources to the Konongo-Odumase Senior High School, while the remaining schools received little attention.
He said the establishment of industries and the elimination of Fulani herdsmen in the Afram Plains would be prioritized when given the chance to represent the people in Parliament.
