RE: Political Dynamic Ofcentral Constituency

Friends of Rashid Pelpuo: Box 108, Wa, Upper West Region

Our attention has drawn to the issues raised by Abdul-samad Suleman Danaa on the subject “Political Dynamics of Wa Central Constituency”. We appreciate how tirelessly the writer sought to use his ignorance as the mortar to pound and create falsehood to drum his message home. In that enterprise he vigorously hasten to misrepresent what he referred to as the “political trend of voting”, thus undermining the discerning constituents in the Wa central constituency. Indeed we encourage civilised discourse on matters of politics, religion and ethnicity to avoid bad losers who will tend to use these issues to woe the sympathy of the gullible.

As members of Friends of Rashid Pelpuo (FORAP) we know Hon Pelpuo very well and were shocked beyond description when our attention was drawn to the article by Suleman Dannaa and a rejoinder his friend Kanleoba A. Awudu wrote when Adinan and Passum attempted to put them right. It was even more shocking when we realised that the purpose of the original write up was to project their PNC candidate, Mornah who earlier contested Hon Pelpuo and lost massively to him. The Hon. MP himself expressed disbelieve when we drew his attention to these articles and said he did not believe that neither the gentleman they sought to project, (Mornah) nor anybody associated with him will descend into these smelly gutters with such falsehood about him and the constituency he (their candidate) sought to be an MP. He therefore implored us to ignore the authors who he said can be forgiven for their ignorance. But as the issues drag on we feel obliged to write this article stating only the facts after some research work we did on Hon. Pelpuo.

As members of FORAP we encourage the youth of the constituency to strive to distinguish themselves in their endeavour to help develop the constituency and to eschew mischief in their actions and words. In that breath we will not hesitate to wish Mornah well and to encourage him to show respect to those whose charted path he seeks to follow if he wants to ever succeed as a politician

Some of the plethora of reasons for which the writers of the article preferred their chosen candidate are because (a.) he is a member of the interim interparty committee and attended a meeting in la Cote d’Voire, (b) he was Local Organising Committee Member of the African Hockey Tournament (Just take note that at the time Hon. Pelpuo was the Minister of Youth and Sports), and (c) ‘he is revered’ by people, market women and the youth, (d) he is able to organise fun games. The writers also said the MP is not working hard enough because so many youth are unemployed and many others cannot pay their school fees whiles he has good cars. They also claim that in Wa Central constituency the people just vote for the NDC and also vote on ethnic and religious grounds.

It is shocking the quality of thinking of these young men who we are told have just completed the Islamic University of Ghana and should have known better. How can these achievements inspire any young man who thinks positively and progressively about a great future? And just see what they blame the MP for, school fees, unemployment, poverty, and the rest Anyway we have different standards in life and we can only respect their thinking and reverence for their hero. But if we comment on anything, we we will avoid any analysis of Mornah’s membership of the LOC which shows his ‘ingrained leadership qualities’ because it may be opening a Pandora’s Box of some impropriety associated with that LOC. This is not to impugn anything on Mornah anyway. But should anyone begrudge another if the good qualities of someone else are mentioned? Of course not, except it is a stage to destroy another. But can anybody already see the irony of circumstance? Can the reader also see that those PNC guys ethnicity theory is a defeatist ploy to launch their party into another round of defeat in the Constituency? Ethnicity is a favourite campaign tool and was a major campaign wagon of the PNC when Mornah contested the Wa central seat the last time? We now implore him to condemn this trend soonest unless he still believes same.

One way of tackling the hugely misinformed article is to present the facts about Hon. Pelpuo whiles we encourage the authors to place side by side the achievements of Hon. Rashid Pelpuo before he became an MP on one hand, and all that they praised Mornah for on the other, and do a mental analysis. We would also encourage them to try to follow what Hon. Pelpuo has been doing as an MP to help his people for which we are inspired and have become his friends. We hope by this our friends on the other side of the isles will slough away their ethnicity jaundiced views and know that it is ones party and his or her existential qualities that matter in an election and not their colour or ethnic background. Or else in the 1996 elections Hon. M.A Seidu, the NDC candidate, who is not a Wala, would have lost against the PNC candidate, Mr Alhassan Suleman who is a Wala, a very good Muslim and a graduate of no mean achievement, if there was any iota of rightness in your theory. But as usual PNC was beaten to it and came last after NDC and NPP.

Life before National Politics – 1987-2004

We wish to reiterate that Hon. Pelpuo has always been a visionary leader with a mission to develop his people long before he became a Member of Parliament. We remember in the 80’s when most of us were in elementary school, as a youth leader, he worked with other youth of the constituency in promoting formal education, abolishing dangerous cultural practices, organising free vacation classes, career counselling and guidance and, the need for tertiary students in the constituency to return home and do their national. We were inspired by his discourses and genuine practical commitment to serve the underprivileged.

After his sixth form and University education he chose to stay home. For his national service he was posted to the National Youth Organising Commission now National Youth Council (NYC) in the Upper West Region and after one year of dedicated service he was adjudged the best and most committed National Service Personnel of the year and was publicly awarded. Realising this talent, he was given the opportunity to explore his technocratic leadership as he was subsequently employed as the District Youth Coordinator in the NYC. During his twelve years working period in the region, indeed, it is worth mentioning that in just two years of dedicated service as District Youth Coordinator he was promoted to the position of Acting Regional Youth Coordinator.

We believe that leaders are not made in politics but they emerge from what they create in the societies in which they live in to better the lives of other. That is what Hon. Rashid Pelpuo represents to many of us who are aspiring future leaders. His life as a volunteer youth worker and president of the Upper West branch of the Democratic Youth League of Ghana reveals his story. He traversed the nooks and crannies of the region between 1986-1990 on bicycle and sometimes on foot, organising youth groups, and doing advocacy on how to address the problems of young people. In the event, he came to understand the realities of the circumstances of people in the region.

Confronted with this challenge, as a Six Form graduate he began to write various proposals which led to the construction of a primary school at Gudayiri built with the support of the Chatholic Relief Services, a clinic at Cheringu with the support of the Canadian Embassy. It must be stated clear that these two projects including the construction of the Wa-Jonga road, he mobilised the people to construct through self help and supported from the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA).This was a critical road given the difficulty of these people in accessing health and education in Wa. In the Wa town itself, he organised voluntary labour to construct the Wa Day Nursery and did so with many other self help projects at various locations in the region. For example he was one of the first to advocate and indeed helped to establish a share tree plantation in parts of the Wa Municipality to enhance the value of the share nut industry.

In 1994 after his first degree he was appointed first Principal of Issa Youth Leadership Institute, an Institute he literally established whiles he was Acting Regional Youth Coordinator. The Institute had access to only one borehole which it shared with the village folk and when it broke down it was chaotic. In the two years following his assumption of office, through his instrumentality and with the assistance of various NGOs he secured three additional boreholes for both the community and the Institute. He won the hearts and minds of the Issa community, and with a charming charisma he mobilised the people to build two semi detached quarters for teachers to motivate them to stay in the school. He also raised funds for the construction of an assembly hall complex when government subventions were not forthcoming.

Whilst working in Wa at age 27 he represented Ghana as part of a delegation to the World Youth Festival in North Korea in 1989 and presented a paper on “World Order and Supper Power Rivalry.” In that defining moment of super power conflicts, his views were generally regarded as the voice of reasoning and were hailed by the international press as he drew attention to the plight of the poor as the world slipped into the era of weapons of mass killing. Besides this he was part of a four member delegation to represent Ghana in the Pan African Youth Festival in Algeria in 1990. In 2001 he led the Ghanaian delegation to the Millennium World Youth Dialogue forum in Malaysia in 2001. In 2002, just before he left the National Youth Council to work as a community development consultant and to prepare himself for national politics, he was appointed to serve in a nine member committee chaired by H.E the vice President Aliu Mahama to develop a framework for a national Youth Policy which was successfully executed.

In deed even before he became an MP he had contributed markedly to society in the Upper West Region and the nation at large in diverse ways for which we need to show appreciation.

His political life was manifest in the University where he started off as a unique two term President of the Northern students Union, President and founding member and first ever acting national president of TEIN, President of the Current affairs club, and secretary to the Drama club all between 1992 and 1994. In 1996 the youth in the Wa Central Constituency agitated for him to become an MP but he turned it down. In 2000 the agitation was even stronger but he again did not go ahead to contest following advice from some party elders. He came with full force in 2004 and contested one of the hotly contested primaries, as was reported by the press at the time and won with nearly 70% of the votes. In the ensuing general elections at the time, the main opposition party NPP was in disarray and voted against their own candidate, Mohammed Kpegla, because they felt he was an imposition. This was how Mornah from the PNC became a beneficiary of three quarters of all the votes from NPP votes and came second to the Hon Pelpuo but with, 29% of total votes cast and a deficit of nearly ten thousand votes! It was the first time the PNC had ever come second in the constituency since the inception of the fourth republic in 1992. But how could PNC win in a predominantly NDC constituency? Why do you read religion and ethnicity in it when you know it was about real competence and the party one was affiliated?

Success story as a Member of Parliament: 2005-2008

What is crucial in this write up is to tell Hon Pelpuo’s success story as a Member of Parliament which his PNC detractors are tragically unaware of and unfairly lied about his work as an MP. In his first term as MP he launched an unprecedented scholarship scheme to support brilliant but needy students and to sponsor medical students from the constituency. By the end of 2009 more than two hundred students benefitted from this scheme including 6 medical students with one presently working in the Wa Municipal hospital. (Just take note that before this time there were only three known Doctors who hailed from the constituency and the MP needed to inspire the youth into that profession). Thank God through his instrumentality we now have a lot more in the system.

With his common fund and other sources of income he renovated 10 school blocks and put up one market stall at Zongo. He also distributed over one hundred footballs and jerseys throughout the constituency in his sports development drive. Again he sort for and supported five students to gain scholarships to study abroad, (a rare occurrence in the constituency). In addition to all this, he sponsored the repair of countless boreholes and constructed a fence wall at the historical royal graveyard in Wa which restored the tourist value of the site. He also distributed computers to some institutions, notably the police and the health Training centre in Wa. We also remember his support to the town Library and many of our second cycle schools with twenty thousand books of all kind some of which he brought from the United States of America after a private visit there. Again since 2005 the MP has instituted a Mock-exam for all JHS students across the constituency and no parent or student pays anything for the exams. In 2007 two communities, Nyagli and Konjiahi had their dams destroyed by rains, the MP rushed from Accra and hired a dozer and patched up the dams. This was a great intervention and we were all impressed with his sense of urgency. In fact there are so many others which cannot all find space here but for which we are always grateful to the MP.

The MP’s success story since 2009 to date

In the last two and half years of his second term as our MP., Rashid Pelpuo has done so much beyond our expectations. Presently the MP is sponsoring the renovation works on eight health facilities located in some rural communities and, in Wa town to improve our health infrastructure and health delivery system. In the same breath he has also provided new furniture to furnish the office of the district health conference centre. One area of serious concern to the people of the constituency is electricity supply to the rural community. In responding to this challenge the MP has sponsored the mapping out of 40 rural communities for the supply of electricity in the Wa central constituency to take advantage of the rural electrification drive by the Atta Mills led Government. In the process he was present in person to visit every single community to assure them of the electrification project. For those further away communities that may not be connected with the national grid, the MP is working with a solar energy company to extend electricity supply to them. At the last count he had visited thirteen communities with the company and had the communities fixed with solar street lamps.

Hon Rashid Pelpuo is also sponsoring the renovation of ten school blocks at various locations in the constituency. The jobs are being lined for various small scale contractors to execute. In addition to the fulfilment of his campaign promises, he has secured funding for the construction of three classroom blocks ongoing at various communities in the constituency where class lessons were virtually under trees. In a landmark intervention to solve the acute water problems in the constituency, he was instrumental in marshalling support that resulted in a credit facility of 32million US Dollars to the Government of Ghana to pipe water from the Black Volta to the Wa town. This project is underway.

In his effort at human development he successfully arranged scholarships and supported three young men and a lady beneficiary who presently are out of the country reading various courses in medicine and engineering. We also know of five university graduates who the MP supported to enter the civil service employment and two others who he supported to get jobs in two banks in Accra. Other support areas are the free ploughing for and distribution of fertilizer to more than thirty poor farmers, organising of colts football competition and a host of others all within the last one and half years. We will not talk about his unique success as a Minister of Youth and Sports nor his work as deputy Majority Leader. They are common knowledge and Danaa and Kanleoba A. Awudu should know. In fact it is difficult to see why in the midst of all this any young man who just finished a tertiary programme will not be inspired but will choose to write all the things Danaa and Kanleoba A. Awudu wrote.

Dannaa accused the MP of not doing anything and not networking to take advantage of the sister city relations to help the people. Is that his solution to the myriads of problems confronting our people? Anyway for your education Wa is already a chief beneficiary of this concept and in the last two visits by the MP to Wa it was to support this project. That is how come we now have a fruit juice factory in Wa. This is also why at this very moment as we write, there are at least two containers of medical facilities shipped from Belgium to be cleared at the habour and given free to our health authorities. Do you agree that you really do not know enough of your MP?

We propose that Danaa and his friends talk to the MP and seek his support if they desire so rather writing those hateful and cruel articles about him. We truly are unhappy and especially with the insulting impudence of these two gentlemen when they made reference to the MPs cars. Are you saying you are not aware that MPs have credit to buy any car or cars of their choice to enhance their work? The Hon Rashid Pelpuo bought a used range rover which cost twice less than a land cruiser (which majority of MPs bought anyway) and you cannot sleep because of that! What about other MPs who bought brand new 2009 model range rovers and those who topped up their loans to buy a Hammer? We know you would have just fallen and died of envy and grief if the MP had fallen into this category. You decry your MP’s purchase of a second hand vehicle and even complained of a car that belongs to his wife. Ask Mornah who Hon Rashid Pelpuo’s wife is and you will stop this negative and wicked accusation. What kind of poverty mentality and naked envy is this? Why, do you think your MP is lesser than any of the others? How can you ever develop positively and be successful if at this age in your lives you carry this kind of destructive mentality? Do you think the rout to Mornah’s political success is to unjustly destroy the reputation of another man? Please come off it!

Now check these vicious lies. Kanleoba A. Awudu said the Hon. Member is a Member of Pan African Parliament by virtue of his being the deputy Majority Leader! Why do you love to degrade the achievements of people? You either chose to forget or did not know that the Honourable MP whose exit created the vacancy was not a deputy Majority leader and that the one before him, H.E John Mahama, at the time MP for Bole-Bamboi, was not even in the leadership of Parliament when he was voted a Pan African MP. Just also take note that the previous deputy majority leader was not a member of the Pan African Parliament. Indeed the mention of the Honourable’s name attracted the full support of both sides of the house because they felt Hon Rashid Pelpuo was competent and could represent the interest of Ghana at the Pan African Parliament.

But why do you have to insult Alhaji Mustapha when you could just address the writers of the rejoinder? If we did not know how Kanleoba A. Awudu grew up and where he comes from, we would have been worried. But we will neither insult nor laugh at the poor, nor the rich, so we will leave it here. But Kanleoba A. Awudu needs to apologies to Alhaji Mustapha, the man who devoted his wealth to help the poor and needy. Even before he entered politics he had two houses to his name and in each of the 2004 and 2008 elections he donated a vehicle each to the NDC campaign effort. This is not the kind of man you will denigrate by saying he leaves off the hands of the hon. MP. We know much more about you than you can ever imagine but we will normally not expect such discourses to degenerate into personal issues about Kanleoba Abdulai Awudu, Danaa and Mornah. Our hope is to help build a decent society of honour and respect where we can share ideas and configure consensus.

On that score we implore Mornah and his friends to apologise both to Alhaji Mustapha and to Hon Rashid Pelpuo for all the nasty things they said about them. You are growing young people and if you start life by insulting your elders and painting them black just because of your own misjudgement and reverence of Mornah, success may be a very hard for you. Who told you you can not be better than Mornah whose cause you are risking all your future for? This kind of politics in Wa Central is strange. But Mornah will have to come clean in all this and dissociate himself completely from this politics of hate and ethnicity in the name of supporting him.

God Bless Ghana. God Bless the Wa Central Constituency. And God bless Hon. Rashid Pelpuo. We thank you.