Volta’s lost voice in the Atta Mills Presidency: An Hon. MP’s cry.

The Volta region is well reputed for its massive support for the ruling NDC; to the extent that it has come to be known and respected as the “NDC world bank”. The term implies that it is a region of huge vote reserves for the NDC party anytime there are elections. Indeed historically, this term “world bank” came to light after year 1996, when the region produced tremendous votes in that election and indeed ever since sustained the extra-broad margins in general elections against other parties every four years.

This writer will simply be dishonourable by failing to acknowledge significant contributions of various individuals in creating the “NDC world bank”, but will mention a few core people like then party stalwart Dr. Obed Asamoah, then Regional Minister now H.E Modestus Ahiable and above all the indefatigable NDC founder and former President JJ Rawlings and others in carving that “world bank” identity and sustaining it till date. It is sad Obed Asamoah had to leave finally anyway. But quite significantly, that era to say the least never witnessed concerns of “not having a mouthpiece” in the presidency; and one could say that was because the party then in government saw and had in its top fold, most of the people who worked in the campaigns and they were strategically placed, and this was good because the appointed folks had proper conceptions of who did what and who was where during campaigns among several other issues; and generally there was calm. There were however pockets of mis-treatments of certain individuals then as well, but that is not the focus of this article per se.

In year 2000, when the NDC party lost and stayed in opposition since for 8years, the Volta region again had a well balanced party managerial structure that worked effectively and efficiently. And this was a period of no governmental power on the NDC side and comparatively no money; but there was above all good order, effectiveness, efficiency, dedication and reasonable tolerance. Indeed the NDC party leadership in the Volta region was always heard at the appropriate forums, whether at “Ridge, Kuku hill, kokomlemle” or any other venue agreed upon in the interest of the great NDC party within and of course without.

Today, the Volta region has allegedly “ lost its voice within the Presidency” surprisingly, and this information was picked from comments by no less a person than the Ketu-North MP and Parliament’s ranking member on Finance at a recent retreat organised for Southern-Volta constituency executives of the NDC party at Sogakope. Indeed the comment sent terrible “shrills down the spines” of most of us gathered as it was unexpected and serious, though its a general concern among some of us here in the region. Analysing the Ketu-North MP’s comment, one wonders what the NDC National Chairman Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Prof. Kofi Awoonor are “doing at the castle”. What even shocked this writer the more; is the source of this serious concern raised, especially bearing in mind the fact that the “whistle blower” is popularly seen to be a political “god son” of the council of state Chair Prof. Kofi Awoonor and the Prof. Himself is seen in some quarters as a champion of the Volta Region and more or less a senior advisor to the President. And yet the MP thought it wise to raise this concern at that forum meaning there are serious bottlenecks in getting people to stand up for the region within the Presidency. And again one may chose to ask, what are the interests of these sons of the Volta Region within the Presidency? I wish to ask readers what they think our fate is as a region, now that nobody is there in the Presidency as alleged by the MP to fight for this poor Region and its people; like the Northerners have. And the worse part of this seeming problem is that the key people who manned/run this Region whiles in political opposition from year 2000, and who know who did what, at where and when are put “out of coverage area”, through machinations beyond strategic comprehension, some in even shocking postings by the Presidency and today a good number of us are handicapped as our allies are not here to work with. Some have well chosen to remain silent like they are doing; trusting that the President knows best; but our party may finally come to “trouble”.

This writer wishes to state that it will be critical for the stalwarts of the NDC in the Volta Region to seat-up and properly demand what is due us for supporting the NDC over the years. Secondly, our parliamentary caucus should be bold enough to reach out to the president with legitimate concerns instead of using forums of this “sogakope kind” to raise frustrations. Our region was promised a university and the project is terribly slow, whiles projects promised elsewhere are ongoing massively e.g. SADA. We were promised jobs and the contracts are no where to be found, from Region and to Sector Ministries which are even connected to the Region by virtue of appointments. This writer will not want to hit individuals on the issue of jobs now; but we pray and hope that the sons of the Volta Region will also remember their brothers and sisters rightly, as they discharge their duties, and we like to even be remembered late than never. We look forward to effectiveness in the youth-in-agric programme been introduced; since it is undoubtedly one programme that could embrace a large cross-sections of idle youths in the region as well.

And well, just a side point to ponder here regarding the “whistle blower” vis-à-vis the subject matter! Couldn’t the Honourable MP Avedzi be seen as hypocritical? I say this because in his case as a leader (parliamentarian), he does not listen to well meaning voices of concern within even duly elected and serving constituency executives of NDC in his constituency of Ketu-North. He chooses to do party business with his personal friends/preferences; and his wishes/desires are final even when those wishes go against logic. And this is because of his links with what I will call some “weak Leaders” in our party both in the Volta Region and in Accra. Well, unlike James Avedzi the Honourable MP, one can only thank the good Lord that H.E the President will listen if we find the good voices that can push for the Volta Region’s interest, so he should keep on the good fight in the search of that voice! Maybe the Hon. MP could as well be meeting the “listening President” more in the interest of our dear region right!

I will end here by urging H.E the Presidency to be very conscious of our plight in this Region and do extra consultations if need be; in order to know what we need and act timeously. Today after winning power, some of us have to use “pen names” to voice the rot and greed been perpetuated; and this dangerously is within, unlike it was in opposition rightly. Some of our Ministers already are arrogant; and in fact have no sense of “prioritisation” for us. And I say prioritisation because our political ideology of social democracy must fit into the kind of politics we play here if this party is to survive and grow; we need not be hypocritical about this. The Volta region needs jobs,industry and infrastructure very much and we should do more as a government to provide these. The Region again should seat-up because we are stronger that our current state, as far as the Mills Presidency is concerned. The “pull-him-down” must stop. Let us draw closer and be stronger. Time is running out!!

Writer: O’Brian Mawuena Dzaka

(obraindzaka@yahoo.com)