Sukparu: A jewel Sissala West must retain

President John Dramani Mahama was in the Upper West Region for a 3-day tour to interact with chiefs and religious and other opinion leaders in the region. He explained to them his vision for the region and the message contained in the Resetting Ghana Manifesto.

Mahama also held mini rallies in all 11 constituencies to energize the party base and assured Ghanaians that the NDC was ready to take over and reset a country that was completely destroyed by the uncaring Nana-Bawumia government.

The euphoria with which John Mahama and his team were welcomed to the Sissala West constituency is worthy of commendation and will remain on the lips of both NDC and NPP members in the constituency for a very long time.

A rally in Gwollu which was supposed to be a mini rally has turned out to be a mega rally because the population at the rally venue can better be described as greater than a colony of bees. This is all thanks to the eloquent, hardworking, accessible, listening and development-oriented Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu.

Sukparu, a first-term MP, has performed to the admiration of all constituents to the extent that an estimated 70 per cent are determined to send him back to the August House. We are not in a haste for a replacement and those fronting for this have become aware that their unpopular endeavour is unwelcomed.

Unwelcomed because, the MP has, in less than 4 years, delivered more than the NPP’s over seven years of performance in the Sissala West District. He has constructed CHPS compounds, and classroom blocks and made several cement donations to communities to support self-initiated projects.

He has also opened entrepreneurial gates for many young people through skills training. The Mohammed Adams Sukparu Youth Entrepreneurial Training (MASYET) programme has put many young girls and boys into apprenticeship.

Under this programme, apprentices were provided with equipment like sewing machines and mechanical tools, and assigned to mentor trainers to learn skills for independent living. They were also provided with stipends to ensure that they did not drop out.

He single-handedly paid all fees of the first batch of Sisaali Education students at the University of Education, Winneba without asking whether one is a constituent or not. Several other students reading various courses at our tertiary institutions have benefited from his student fee support.

Not all, the MP has drilled 39 boreholes and still counting with some mechanized. He even went the extra mile to dredge dams for his constituents. This goes a long way to make water available to indigenes for both domestic and irrigation use.

As part of his efforts to ensure inclusion and wipe away tears, the MP has ensured that widows feel part of the merrymaking during the Muslims' annual Eid celebrations. He provided for them with rice, oil, canned fish and canned tomato paste for the festivity. This has earned him the popular nickname 'Widows husband.'

Sukparu has also donated maternity beds including medical supplies to various health facilities in the constituency. Feeding of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates is also worth acknowledging. The works of the MP cannot be exhausted in just one write-up.

The MP's performance has been accepted by constituents to be worthy of another term. Evidence of this is sourced from a 2022 survey by Global InfoAnalytics declaring that the MP is safe. According to the report, 83 per cent of Sissala Westerners agreed that the MP is very likely/likely to retain his seat. Again over 90 percent approve of his performance as excellent or very good.

Additionally, the April 2024 Global InfoAnalytics polling report also points out that 75.56 percent of respondents have sympathies for the NDC as against a paltry 24.44 percent for the NPP. This clearly indicates how heavy the NDC has become in the Sissala West Constituency and that the MP and President Mahama are on course to win.

An ongoing poll which is being conducted by Poll for All has the MP above 56 percent while the NPP candidate is at 40 percent. This and the above sources clearly show that Sissala Westerners are ready and willing to retain the jewel they have acquired for themselves in 2020.

President Mahama's visit also raises a more compelling reason for the MP to be retained. He gave Sissala Westerners a contract saying, "Your duty is to bring him to parliament and I will know what I would like to do to him." President Mahama's assurance is consistent with the NDC National Organizer, Joseph Yamin's promise at Dasima that he will ensure that Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu is appointed a minister if he is returned to parliament. This opportunity cannot be risked.

President Mahama needs the humble and proverbial Sukparu to help him reset this country through the implementation of the $10 billion Big Push. The Big Push will renew the need to reconstruct our deplorable roads from Gwollu - Jeffisi, Hamile -Tumu, Gbal - Hain, link Sissala West to neighbouring constituencies, and construct and rehabilitate several feeder roads in the constituency. The almighty Wa-Bolgatanga highway will also be made.

The Big Push will also see to the completion of the Zini Community Day Senior High School, construct new ones and improve infrastructure in existing schools like the Dr. Hilla Limann SHS. The new hospital that is never getting completed will also be completed.

It will also provide 100 percent electricity coverage to Sissala West and so Gbelle, Paana, Kunni and Sangbaka will be connected to electricity. It is instructive to note that these are the only 4-communities including Dasima and Duwie the NDC could not complete before leaving power. John Mahama connected 33-communities to the National Grid in Sissala West, a record unmatched.

The Big Push is to provide critical infrastructure for development and with Sukparu and Mahama in-charge, Sissala West will have its hands full.

The MP is again needed to help realize policies like the Farmer Service Centres, Feed Industry Programme (FIP) and Feed Ghana Programme through a Transformational Grains Development (TGD) Project and Livestock Development Project (LDP). All these initiatives will immensely benefit Sissala West and all agriculture-producing districts.

Sukparu is a jewel valued both within and outside Sissala West. It is not surprising President Mahama described him as intelligent and so advised that we retain him. It is only right we listen to this wise counsel so that Sissala West and Ghana is reset to bring total development.