MP accused of involvement in District Level Elections

Accra, Sept. 12, GNA - Three candidates of the impending District Level Elections in Akwateyman Electoral Area on Tuesday accused Mrs Elizabeth Sackey, Member of Parliament for Okai-Koi North Constituency, of facilitating the campaign of Mr Abdul Razak Ibin Issah, a contestant for the electoral seat.

The candidates; Mr Charles Adika, Mr Osei Williams and Christian T. Badger in a petition to the Electoral Commission (EC) a copy of which was made available to the GNA, said the MP had involved Mr Razak in an electrification project in the Electoral Area and this had created the impression among the electorate that he had provided the streetlights. "The conduct of Mrs Sackey is against laid down procedures for contesting and campaigning for the District Level Elections....It is therefore a total violation of the Local Government Act," they said. Reacting to the allegation, Mrs Sackey told the GNA that the provision of the streetlights was part of a Government's electrification project for the Constituency.


Mrs Sackey said: "The project is my brain baby, which would be inaugurated on Friday, September 15."


She, however, confirmed that some aspiring assembly members were claiming that they had a hand in the provision of some of her projects during their house to house campaigns.


"It would be politically suicidal for me to allow others to use my projects as their campaign tool....; the people would associate the project with the aspirants, which would be detrimental to my work as a Member of Parliament for the Constituency."

Mrs Sackey said: "I have had a fruitful working relationship with Razak, especially during the 2004 general election, where he served as my secretary and campaign manager ...I send him most of the time. "I have known Razak for a very long time. He has always been with me but I have not assigned him to do anything in connection with the streetlights."


Mrs Sackey said the contractor, Mabert Ventures, had been instructed to tell the electorate that the streetlights were being fixed by the Government through the MP in the area.


Mr Adika and Mr Williams, who were present during the interview with Mrs Sackey, however, insisted that Mr Razak's campaign boys were with the contractor while he was fixing the streetlights and they claimed that it was through Mr Razak's instrumentality that the lights were being provided.