The Progressive People?s Party (PPP) is working hard to add the Akim Oda seat to its basket of ?must-win? seats in the upcoming 2012 General Elections.
In view of that the standard bearer of the party, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, has made it clear that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not the only top contenders as analysts have sought to portray and they would have to consider the PPP as well.
?With few days to the polls, we are very confident of winning seats and that is why we are very careful at where we are visiting in these last days?if we visit four seats, we are sure of winning at least two?,? he assured.
He said his confidence stemmed from the fact that the party?s parliamentary candidates had done ?good jobs? in their various constituencies which he stated would be transferred from the incumbent NDC and the opposition NPP to the PPP.
The PPP flag bearer told media men after his tour of some constituencies in the Eastern Region that the party had strong messages on job creation on regional basis as a means of helping to deal with the growing unemployment problems in the country.
Constituencies visited in the region included Akim Oda, Akim Swedru, Manso/Asene/Akroso which in the opinion of the PPP standard bearer would be won by the party in the December 7 polls.
At Oda, Dr. Nduom encouraged voters to see the PPP as the ?best alternative? to the incompetent NDC government since it has clear-cut policies towards transforming the country.
?Our message is jobs, jobs, jobs, and how to ensure that our able youth do not rust away; and judging from my background as the only Edwumawura (job provider) in the race, you can be sure that a PPP administration would help create jobs at the regional and district levels to employ more people?.?
He explained that creating jobs at the regional level entails identifying the resource potential of the regions and citing factories in these areas to make use of the abundant resources a region offers.
??In the Ashanti and Western Regions, for example, a PPP administration would establish a gold refinery to transform into ornaments and bangles, and other products derived from the gold mined in these regions?and these would be replicated in all other regions,? he said.
Dr. Nduom further told a gathering of the chiefs and people of Oda-Nkwanta that the PPP would see to the eradication of preventable diseases such as malaria and cholera through an improved sanitation as well as implement a free, compulsory, and continuous quality education from kindergarten to Senior High School (SHS).
For his part, the Chief of Nkwanta, Nana Dwamena Akenten II, wished Dr. Nduom and the party?s parliamentary candidate for the Oda constituency, Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, well and prayed that their wishes come to pass.
He also encouraged Ghanaians to work towards a peaceful election, and to vote wisely to bring
about development in the country.
The PPP campaign team was the toast of the Oda town when Dr. Nduom made stopped briefly to greet the people and continue his door-to-door campaign.
Market women and other traders abandoned their wares and struggled to either catch a glimpse of or shake hands with the PPP flag bearer whom they described as ?the man with the vision to transform Ghana for the better.?
The party also met with indigenes of the Akyem Attuntunerim in the Akim Swedru constituency and encouraged them to vote into power, ace sports presenter, Akwasi Amankwaa Marfo (Spanky) who is contesting the Akim Swedru seat on the ticket of the PPP.
Security personnel had hectic time controlling the crowd at the Akim Manso Lorry Park that had gathered to welcome Dr. Nduom and the PPP parliamentary candidate, Daniel Ofori Nyarko.
A POLITICAL DESK REPORT
