Sallas Mensah's Seat Under Siege

A sitting Member of Parliament (MP) for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Hon Samuel Sallas Mensah is in for a first keen electoral contest as the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has made serious incursions into his support base.

Chronicle intelligence indicate that Hon. Mensah who has had three smooth re-elections in the Upper West Akim constituency in the eastern region and one time chairman of select committee of finance in parliament is facing an unprecedented competition from his main NPP contender , Nana Yaw Asare Koranteng.

Chronicle has gathered that Hon. Mensah who is vying for his fourth term as a member of Parliament has brought numerous developmental projects in the constituency including roads, electricity, school, water and employment.

Notwithstanding all these developmental projects, the MP still risks losing the seat to the ruling NPP candidate if current trends of events skips into next week.

A very significant factor that is working against the incumbent MP and in favor of the NPP candidate are equally massive development projects that the NPP government has carried out during their first term of office, which insiders say could be compared to the NDC two terms in office.

When The Chronicle visited some of the communities in the constituency such as Asuotwene, Amanfrom, Alafia and Adieso where the ruling NPP government has provided a number projects through the HIPC fund.

At Alafia, The Chronicle noticed that the people are traditional NDC voters and are more likely to vote for the NDC but the NPP's HIPC projects such as classroom blocks and others is what has brought them very close to keenly contesting the seat.

President's Kufuor's message that the people should vote 'skirt and blouse' seems to have also gone down well with the people some of who think that if they voted for the president and an NPP parliamentary candidate they will get more developmental project.

An executive member of the NDC who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity maintained that the NPP can never capture the seat from Hon. Mensah.

He asserted that the incumbent MP is almost the father of the constituency and his works for the twelve years in office can never be compared to any one even after twenty years of the NPP government in office.

Some of the projects the executive member cited included the Nsawam, Adieso and Asamakese road, and the Adieso electricity project, including some primary and junior secondary schools in the constituency.

Mr. Ransford Sam Asebu who is executive member of the ruling NPP and double as the assemblyman for the Asuotwene electoral area told The Chronicle in an interview that the people in the constituency have embraced the positive chapter two.