Sekyere Afram Plains, a constituency in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, is approaching the December 7 elections at a critical moment.
For many residents, the upcoming vote represents a stark choice amid ongoing frustration over inadequate community development.
Classified as one of the more deprived constituencies in the region, Sekyere Afram Plains needs more basic amenities across its 160 communities.
While the district capital, Drobonso, and other areas have improved, most towns still grapple with unreliable electricity, insufficient healthcare, poor road conditions, and limited access to potable water.
Established in 2012 as part of an effort to accelerate development, Sekyere Afram Plains has yet to see the anticipated progress.
This slow pace of development has left many residents disillusioned with the political process. “Here, it feels like we are not even part of Ghana.
In Drobonso, you find good schools, electricity, and drinkable water, but in the interior areas, schools can only function correctly during the rainy season if teachers can reach them.
There is also no electricity. This situation discourages people like me from voting because we are unsure who to trust to help us,” said Elisha Maninjor Bimbi, a resident.
Musah Mohammed, a 37-year-old smallholder farmer from Samsonkuraa, shares similar sentiments.
“I’ve realised that voting has no benefit for some of us. Politicians promise to improve our roads, but everything has remained the same. I’ve decided not to vote this year.”
In contrast, some voters are determined to support candidates who genuinely commit to addressing their developmental needs.
“I’m not concerned about the political party; I will focus on the candidates’ messages and vote for the one who shows readiness to bring real development to our area,” said Michael Attah from Issakura.
For 18-year-old Martin Amoah, this election marks his first voting experience. “I’m excited to be among those who will vote this year.
I hope a representative will secure our access to clean water,” he said.
The parliamentary race in Sekyere Afram Plains has seen shifts in recent years.
Alex Adomako-Mensah of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) previously held the seat since the constituency’s creation but recently lost the party’s parliamentary candidate ticket to Hajia Nasira Afrah.
In the 2020 election, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate narrowly lost to the incumbent by just 156 votes.
As the 2024 elections approach, the NDC and NPP are fielding new candidates for the parliamentary seat. The electorate faces a pivotal choice: to retain the NDC or offer the NPP a new opportunity.
The outcome will hinge on whether the new candidates can address Sekyere Afram Plains’s pressing developmental concerns and restore faith in the electoral process.