Tamale Deserves Better Members Of Parliaments

It is the deepest regret to reveal the inefficiencies of members of Parliament for the Tamale constituencies. The Tamale Constituencies is among the largest constituencies in Northern Ghana and also have a very strong support base for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). The party has consistently enjoyed an overwhelming support of the constituencies without fear.The electorates sees the NDC party founder,former president Jerry John Rawlings as a person who have the people of Tamale at heart and for that reason the owe him a duty to stand by him.

This was manifested in the election results in 2004 when the then Presidential Candidate for the NDC Prof. John Atta Mills now President of the Republic of Ghana and the Parliamentary candidates Inusah Fuseini now deputy energy Minister,Haruna Iddrisu,now minister for communications,Alhaji Abubakari Sumani,board chairman,Ghana ports and harbor both won convincingly on the party tickets. It was virtually a great improvement for the NDC in the recent 2008 elections as the Tamale constituencies was again of the few constituencies that propelled and fueled the victory of the then eight year opposition NDC.

However it must be stated without an iota of doubt that the popularity of the ruling party(NDC) is waning in the constituencies that once stood rigidly behind it in the previous elections. This undoubtedly is as a result of the acute inefficiency and gross insubordination of the MPs of which they think they can take the people for a ride.

The MPs of late has been doing a great disservice to the NDC and the people in the Tamale constituencies. Some of us in the constituencies have so much to regret lending our mandates in the recent parliamentary elections. In fact, most people often asked of their commitment to the NDC and whether they will have the political and moral justification to contest for the parliamentary seats time around. And if indeed they would contest,Will the delegates confirm them?And if they did, can they get it as easy as they got it in their previous attempts? This is a question I will leave for election 2012 to answer!!!!!.

The MPs failure to fulfill their major campaign promises is some of us our major issues of concern. Now relaxed comfortable in their luxurious homes and offices in Accra, they have suddenly reneged on their promises to bring development to the people and assist the youth to get jobs.

Now that our party is in power, they have virtually snubbed everyone in the constituencies,accept those who knows how to gossip and they even stopped their frequent visits to the people,something they used to do more in opposition.And even if they came ,they are in their various homes for people to go and worship them. They have abandoned the youth who have been fueling their victory and sacrificing for the NDC during its days in opposition. Having suffered so much for MPs and sacrificed our lives, time and resources to keep the NDC and the MPs strong before, during and after the 2008 elections, we are still perishing here in Tamale with no jobs, no penny and no hope for us,whiles they (The MPs) enjoys at their comfort and luxury in Accra.

In the face of all these,the MPs still think they can find their way through 2012 by distributing motorcycles, mobile phones and money to delegates. But let's wait and see.

What is even more appalling is the fact that,the MPs do no longer have the time and attention to listen to anybody even on the telephone. It is on the lips of all including prominent party elders, opinion leaders, traditional authorities and many that snubbing of calls is now a central habit of our MPs. How can you an MP know the problems of your people if you ignore or refuse their phone calls? Certainly you have lost touch with the very people in whose name and mandate you are in parliament.

My sincere plea to all delegates in the Tamale constituencies is that, they should never allow their conscience to be denigrated with pea nuts. We all deserve better. We in NDC believe in the ultimate principles of social democracy and respect for human dignity and by virtue of these,I am not sure if delegates renew the mandates of these current MPs, we in the constituencies will retain them in 2012.

It will do us good if we search for more sincere and potential candidates,who can do better to come out and contest for the seats in these coming primaries. We really deserve better and I mean it!!!.Long live the founder,his excellency Jerry John RawlingsLong live the ndc.

Ibrahim Hardi Landlord Chairman,NDC Justice BenchTamale.bigkolaaya@yahoo.com