2020 elections: Focus on Lower Manya Krobo

This year's Parliamentary election will see some surprises in either of the two major Political Parties in Ghana. In every general election under this democratic dispensation, the new Parliament always record new faces of Parliamentarians and the 8th Parliament of the fourth republic won't be an exception.

The contest in Lower Manya Krobo would be tougher than what we witnessed in 2016. For example, in 2016, the NPP Candidate (Mr. Samuel Nuertey Ayertey) came against an incumbent NDC MP (Mr. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi) who also served as a Deputy Regional Minister, Deputy Defence Minister and Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister, two of these appointments happened when he became an MP and the other one, when he was aspiring to be an MP.

Now, the incumbent MP who is serving his second term in Parliament would face a fierce contest with the same Candidate but this time round, he (NPP PC) is also holding the same position the MP was holding at the time when he also became the MP.

At least, each of the Candidates have had appointment in the last 8 years and therefore a little comparison can be made to weigh and if you like ascertain what each of them uses their appointment, especially in bringing development and impacting lives in the Constituency.

The New Patriotic Party's Parliamentary Candidate for the 2020 elections, Mr. Samuel Nuertey Ayertey (Teddy Braino) has challenged the status quo in 2016 by changing the dynamics in the Constituency by closing the gap from a previous margin of over 9,000 to 327 making it winnable for the NPP.

The Lower Manya Krobo seat used to be a traditional and safe seat for the National Democratic Congress. However, 2016 election came with huge changes making it what one will describe as likely to be swung in favour of the NPP. In 2016, the incumbent NDC MP, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi garnered 19,710 (49.74%) as against the 19,383 (48.91%) recorded by the NPP Candidate, Samuel Nuertey Ayertey.

The average Ghanaian is growing and the voter expectations in who can make things happen has also enlightened making who to vote for a bit easier than before.

The NPP Parliamentary Candidate whose appointment as the Deputy Minister for the Eastern Region came at the ‘injury time,’ barely one and half years ago has lobbied for numerous projects to his Constituency.

Amongst other projects he initiated which are at various levels of completion including completed ones are: Construction of 6-units classroom block at Ayermesu Kperti M/A Basic School (98% complete), construction of Atua Osupanya bridge (completed), construction of Atua Quarters bridge (completed), construction of Laasi market (completed), construction of Blornguanya Durbar ground shed (completed), pavement of Odumase Accra Station and Agomanya Taxi Station (ongoing), construction of 0.86Km Agomanya Airport to Ablotsi stretch (ongoing), construction of 2.6Km Atua Hospital road (ongoing), construction of 2.74Km Nuaso town roads (ongoing), construction of 2.1Km Kpongunor to Bana Hill road (ongoing), construction of 1.8Km Kpong Quarters road (yet to commence), construction of Kpong beach road (yet to commence), reshaping of 31Km Oborpah-Obelemanya road (ongoing), reshaping of Akuse Zongo road (ongoing), reshaping of Asitey Salosi road (yet to commence), rural electrification of Oborpah-Obelemanya (ongoing), construction of other roads in Middle belt (yonguase, Ketem, Ayermesu Kpeti and Tsledom) are all set to begin.

Compare and contrast the leadership skills of the two Candidates as Deputy Ministers of the region, the constituents are now questioning the lobbying skills of the MP.

Some constituents said, the MP failed to address most of the developmental issues despite his numerous appointments in the last 8 years and the common fund as well as NHIA fund he receives every quarter from the Assembly.

The residents say, even though the NPP PC came into the scene quite recently, his works and development he's bringing to the area are unprecedented.

The battle line is about to be drawn in the few days ahead, and if things stand the way it is now, Lower Manya Krobo Constituency would make history by producing the first ever NPP MP in December 7, 2020.