Electorates in the Sunyani Municipality of the Bono Region have been encouraged by Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to cast their votes in large numbers for the National Democratic Congress candidate, John Dramani Mahama, in the upcoming December general elections, with the aim of fostering development in the area.
He raised a question regarding the tangible benefits the community had received over the past 28 years while supporting the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr. Asiedu Nketia further clarified that many of the development projects in Sunyani and the broader Bono Region were initiated during the tenures of the NDC and the former military leader, General I.K. Acheampong.
He referenced the Sunyani post office and the Cocoa House building, noting that during the tenure of former President JJ Rawlings, the region saw significant developments, including the establishment of the Bono Regional Hospital, the asphalt overlay road connecting Kumasi to Dormaa Ahenkro, and the integration of the region into the national electricity grid.
Mr Asiedu Nketia was speaking to members of the GPRTU at the Sunyani Taxi Rank as part of his campaign tour in the Bono Region on Friday.
He said the only project undertaken by the NPP for the people was the Jubilee Park in Sunyani, which he deemed insufficient to reflect the loyalty of the constituents to the party.
He also pointed out that the late former President John Evans Atta Mills initiated the construction of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, with intentions to transform it into a medical school before the NDC exited office in 2016.
The NDC chairman claimed that all ministers from the region under the current NPP administration have neglected the development needs of the Bono Region, stating that the region had lost its prominence in terms of the resources and attention it deserves.
“The current ministers in government have looked unconcerned while the region was been shortchanged by the government in terms of development,” he stated.
The previous NDC government, he said initiated the process to convert the University of Energy and Natural Resources to a medical school before leaving office but the current government abandoned the plan.
Mr Asiedu Nketia mentioned that the Sunyani ring road projects, Sunyani inner city roads, Sunyani-Kotokrom Road and Agenda 111 hospital project earmarked for the region had all come to a standstill because government does not have the people at heart.
He said the only way they can show their displeasure about what was happening was to vote against the NPP come December to send the right signals to any party that captured power in December.
He appealed to the electorates to vote massively for John Dramani Mahama and the parliamentary candidate for Sunyani East Constituency, Mubarak Seid, to ensure victory for the NDC.
The NDC party chairman and his campaign team later toured communities such as Atronie, Yawsian and Yawhima all in the sunyani Municipality to propagate the message.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH
SUNYANI