President Mahama storms deza

...Seeks 92% Votes In Ketu North

As the chiefs and people of Dzodze celebrate their week-long Deza festival, one phenomenal feature would be the presence of President John Dramani Mahama, who is expected to add glamour to the event.

President Mahama’s visit to Dzodze, capital of the Ketu North Constituency of the Volta Region, is seen by many as a big boost to his quest to retain power in this year’s election, considering the importance of the Constituency to the ruling National Democratic Congress(NDC).

The Constituency has contributed significantly to the party’s victory in all major elections in the country.

In the 2008 elections, then candidate John Evans Atta Mills of the NDC polled 27,513 votes, representing 76.78% of the total valid votes against the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) candidate Nana Akufo Addo’s 7,617 votes or 21.26%. In 2012, President Mahama increased the votes to 37,761 (86.82%), beating Nana Addo’s strength down to 5,263 or 12.06%.

With a one-touch victory in mind, President Mahama is storming the area to increase the margin between him and his closest rival from 86.82% to an avowed 92 per cent to assuage the effect of any loss in the Ashanti region.

Political pundits are of the view that the unflinching support of the people of the area, one of the largest constituencies of the NDC’s ‘World Bank’, leaves the NPP with a hopeless situation.

The constituency also remains one of the most reliable for the NPP who hit as much as 7,000 votes in the 2008 elections. This strong showing is linked to Mr. Kofi Dzamesi, the parliamentary candidate for the NPP, who commands some popularity among the constituents.

Meanwhile, the area is agog with fanfare in expectation of a joyous event, as the chiefs and people await the arrival of the first gentleman of the land.

The week-long celebration started from Friday, 23rd September and will end on Sunday, 2nd October, 2016.

A press release signed by Mr Prosper Ledi, Chairman of the Deza Planning Committee ahead of the festival recounted that Dzodze in its formative years was surrounded by thick forest, mostly oil palm, which shielded the people from regional warfare and slave trade activities. The oil palm industry was unique to the people of Dzodze, since most farmers were engaged in oil palm cultivation.

In the early days, Dzodze was among the few towns in Ghana that had considerable oil palm plantation and actively featured as a producer of most palm products. The Palm oil, Palm kernel oil, Palm wine, Local Dry Gin (Akpeteshie), Palm fronds for baskets and roofs were all produced in Dzodze to feed the nation and for exports, the release said.

Following the continuous depletion of the forest and the ensuing felling of the palm trees due to high market demands, the Palm festival (Deza) was instituted in 2002, to among other things salvage the oil palm from depleting, rejuvenate the oil palm industry in the area and to foster unity through forgiveness and reconciliation.

This year’s festival promises to be exciting and spectacular. The weeklong 2016 Deza is packed with an array of traditional and innovative programs with a grand durbar on Saturday 1st October 2016 to climax activities. There shall be sightseeing at all the farms that have multiple palm trees grown out of a single palm trunk including the oldest “seven in one palm tree” (Deti adre).

The theme; “15th Dzodze Deza-Bringing the people together for peace and development” was carefully chosen with the political climate in the country now in mind.

The Planning Committee is appealing to all sons and daughters of the Dzodze Traditional Area to make this year’s celebration a special homecoming and show up in their teeming numbers.

It is also extending a warm and hearty welcome to all friends and well-wishers from across Ghana, Africa and beyond to come celebrate with them.

Source: Ghana Daily newspaper