Alhaji Ibrahim Seidu
Alhaji Ibrahim Seidu, a parliamentary aspirant of the Tamale Central Constituency in the Northern Region for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), says he is committed to transforming the constituency through accessible and transparent leadership.
This he said would emanate from his mission to eradicate the barriers to socio-economic growth by standing up for the many and not the few, and through a collective leadership approach that thrives on a compelling commitment to creating entrepreneurial skills and accompanying opportunities for the growth of youth, market women, and operators in both formal and informal sectors.
Popularly known as “Engineer”, Alhaji Seidu in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra at the weekend said his vision is also to build a resilient society in which vulnerable people are not only protected against livelihood risks, but are provided with the needed support systems to be able to create, sustain, and expand wealth, in good health, and in an atmosphere of peace, trust and transparency.
He mentioned education, health, human resource development, agriculture, infrastructure and accessible leadership as the six technical thematic areas of focus.
He said he would support constituents with financial constraints to enroll onto the National Health Insurance Scheme and increase the package to 10,000 people every year.
Alhaji Seidu said maternal and newborn health and adolescent sexual reproductive health are the most critical areas that the MP’s office would ensure are supported in close collaboration with partners in health.
"Lifestyle diseases, tropical neglected diseases are also another critical focus area the MP’s office will work with health programme experts and service providers to improve on."
Alhaji Seidu said his vision is firmly rooted in his personal passion and conviction in farming and agribusiness.
"I will among several other strategies engage Public Private Partners (PPP) in acquisition of farm implements such as tractors and combined harvesters to support young men and women who have interest in farming."
He said farm inputs, fertilizers and insecticides are still a major problem to the teaming farmers in the constituency and that his agricultural package would ensure that all these are in constant supply to farmers at a reasonable price when given the mandate.
Alhaji Seidu said through PPP, he would work closely with Ministry of Food and Agriculture and non-governmental organisation actors to support and enhanced farmers capacity, farm management skills, and agribusiness in respect to value chain addition and creation of market for farm produce.
"I shall establish a constituency farm for poultry, cattle and sheep rearing and this will be a purely business venture for people within the constituency to leverage upon as a way of enterprise, and wealth creation.
"I will also establish a self-sustaining scheme largely referred to as Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) across the constituency which will be a sustainable way to create, harness, grow and maintain wealth."
He noted that by this strategy, women and men groups in the various wards across the constituency would be supported with micro-business models, especially in manufacturing and production of improved local products and services.
"Linkages will also be established with both rural and mainstream banks to support these groups graduate from a ward based savings group to full flesh entrepreneurs with the needed skills, knowledge and confidence to deal with mainstream banks, and thus grow and sustain their businesses."
According to him as a trained civil engineer, he has all it takes to provide futuristic road accessibility solutions for the growing population in the Tamale Central Constituency and indeed, across the entire Tamale Metropolis and beyond.
He noted that vehicular traffic is speedily becoming a challenge in the Tamale Central, and the projection into the future is even very worrying.
He said he would work with the Tamale Metro Assembly to ease the flow of traffic, and to support traders relocate from unapproved places to well-designed structures where their safety, health, esteem and happiness will be guaranteed.
Schools in the constituency which are in need of either renovation or additional classroom blocks would be given the necessary attention to make sure quality education as promised by President John Dramani Mahama through the NDC 2012 manifesto is achieved.
“Rehabilitation of sports grounds in schools within the constituency will be done in tranches so as to reignite interest of children.
“As an MP, it is essential to understand the need to build on the promise of our diversity as a people. In view of this, when elected, I enhance the already peaceful co-existence among the various religious sects by supporting activities across board, encouraging religious tolerance and extending support to individuals, groups, or institutions without recourse to the sect they belong to.
“Courtesy visits by colleague MPs from other areas will be encouraged to ensure greater collaboration within the party and across constituencies, “he said.
