Kpando parliamentary aspirants face-off in debate

The four Parliamentary aspirants for the Kpando Constituency seat engaged in a heated, but friendly debate during the Parliamentary debate organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at the forecourt of the Chief’s Palace to seek the mandate of the people in the upcoming December polls.

The candidates who were; Mr. Theophilus Ernest Qusit, New Patriotic Party (NPP): Mrs. Della Sowah, incumbent, National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Kodzosika, Independent Candidate and Isaac Newton Nyagbe, Independent Candidate answered questions on research findings by the NCCE on the most pressing needs of the electorates.

The debate was based on five main areas, namely: Education (School dropouts, technical and vocational education), Use of MPs Common Fund, Relationship between MP and Municipal Assembly, Agriculture and Security.

Theophilus Ernest Quist said he would liaise with the educational directorate to find a lasting solution to the canker of school dropouts that had bedevilled the Municipality.

He said most school dropouts were as a result of the children just being deviant.

Mr. Quist said too much attention had been attached to secondary education at the expense of technical education.

He said the phenomenon had given students a negative understanding of technical education and that he would liaise with the education office to undertake extensive education on the importance of the subject.

Mr Quist said he would conduct painstaking research on the needs of the people before disbursing the common fund to suit the real needs of the people of the Municipality and that the MP was an integral part of the Assembly and must be present at meetings.

He said he would ensure that farmers received improved seeds as the seeds of some cash crops were too expensive for some farmers.

Mr. Quist said he would upgrade the Municipal clinic to a Polyclinic.

Mrs. Della Sowah who is the incumbent MP on her part said she had been using part of the common fund to cater for some tertiary students from the Municipality and would continue to help more.

She set up remedial classes for students and settled all teachers to enhance teaching and learning.

Mrs. Sowah said students who were not brilliant enough would be given vocational skills and mentioned that she built a Police post at Agbenoxoe, a farming community in the Municipality to ensure security of the citizenry and provided over 10,000 fertilizers to farmers and would provide more.

Mr. Samuel Kodzosika said he would support technical and vocational students with prospectus to lessen the burden on parents.

He said he believed that an MP must have other avenues of developing and improving the livelihood of the constituents without always depending on the central government and he would partner investors of interest for the Municipality.

Mr Kodzosika said he would invest in the common in establishing job opportunities for the youth.

Mr. Isaac Newton Nyagbe also said he would establish an enterprise that would help assemble artisans who would undertake contractual works for their benefit.

He added that he would revive the irrigation schemes to supply water to farmers all year and create a ready market for agric produce like pineapple and mango to help end the perishing of farm produce.

Mr. Richard Asilevi, NCCE Municipal Director, Kpando appreciated the Candidates for availing themselves for the exercise and said the debate was keenly contested and was certain the Candidates had helped electorate make informed decisions ahead of the elections.

All four candidates pledged for peace ahead and after the election.