Why Banda People Have Rejected John Mahama’ NDC – DCE Reveals
The District Chief Executive of Banda, Mrs. Mary Konneh, has narrated two insightful stories which can explain why the New Patriotic Party (NPP) continues to make giant strides in winning more followers in the Banda District whose residents are predominantly farmers.
Mrs Konneh told the stories on Wontumi TV/Radio on Thursday when she featured as a guest on the flagship political programme, Election 2020, hosted by Oheneba Nana Asiedu.
She said the deeply rooted love now existing between the NPP and a large section of the Banda community started during the tenure of former President John Agyekum Kufuor. It was during his tenure that the Bui Dam, one of the three major needs of the Banda people was constructed.
“It was during an historic visit that Agyekum Kufuor, promised to construct the Dam at no cost to the people after they had put before him one of their three most pertinent needs. The other two were the construction of the main entry road- Menyi – Bongase highway and the extension of electricity to the communities.” She recounted.
She revealed that, prior to the visit by the former President to the area the NDC government had told the people of Banda that “even if they should sell all the people in the area together with their animal stock the amount of money needed to construct he Dam could not be realized. The people were deeply hurt by this cheeky response.”
Mrs. Konnie said the other story which further exposes the NDC as being insensitive to the plight of the people in the area is hinged against their leader’s preference for a helicopter ride when he decided to visit them. They were expecting him to come by road so he could also experience their daily hardship of travelling on an ultra rugged terrain.
“This was during John Mahama’s only visit to the area.” She continued, “After an official announcement was made of the fateful visit by the then President John Mahama, the expectation of the residents was to see Mr. Mahama travel on the road which posed as their biggest societal challenge but he chose to come by a helicopter to avoid the inconvenience of the terrible road surface.”
She added that , the people were deeply hurt and considered it as “a scorn” more so, when Mr Mahama made no commitment to reconstructing the all-important road which posed the biggest challenge to both their social and economic well-being during the irrelevant visit.
“Up till the end of his tenure, the people of Banda” were kept in a suspense with respect to whether any help could come from the NDC government to give them a relief.
She continued, “When it got to the turn of Nana Addo to visit them when he took over from Mr. Mahama after his victory 2016 elections, the means by which he was expected to arrive at Banda became a big debating issue among the pundits. The puzzle was whether he would come by road or by air as his predecessor did.”
“Lo and behold” as she recalled, “Nana Addo chose to come by road and in the ensuring drama that characterized the people joy, he made a pledge to reconstruct the all important 30 kilometre Menyi-Bongase road which is more or less the lifeline of the people in Banda.”
“Nana Addo who was in the company of the Minister Roads and Highways, Hon Kwesi Amoako Atta, assured Nananom at the gathering that he would tackle the road problem before his tenure ends but strangely, in less than one month after the visit, work on the project had started. As I speak to the construction project is far advanced and soon it will be commissioned.”
According to Mrs. Konneh, this singular act of compassion by Nana Addo has incredibly swelled the ranks of the party’s faithful in the Banda area and gradually, its support base is broadening.
“Its strange that the NPP had not been able to sweep more votes in the previous elections, but I am confident that this time around, we shall make it big in Banda. This is because we’ve opened up the place with the siting of more infrastructural projects such as school buildings,electricity extension, roads construction, youth empowerment through job creation and skill acquisition, water.” she told the programme host.
Under the District’s road infrastructural projects the following routes are undergoing a face lift: Dorbor-Dumoli-Kejie feeder road; Dompofie-Mekala feeder road; Boasi – Nsawkaw feeder road; Wawa-Dorbor feeder road; Ahenkro – Bungase single cell culvert and one kilometre access road to Bandaman SHS.
On education: Sanwa-Sabije-Makala 6 unit KG classroom block; Ahenkro African Faith Primary School; Fawoman 3-unit classroom block; Agborlekame – 6-unit classroom block with pavilion, office and store; Banda Boase 2-unit KG Classroom with ancillary and Ahenkro Presby Primary 2-unit classroom block
Other projects that have been provide by the NPP government in the last three and a half months include lockable market with restaurant at Bepoaese and the completion of a district Police Head Office.