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Ghana: Aspiring MP Calls for Strengthening of Party Structures
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Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
7 May 2008
Posted to the web 7 May 2008
Isaac Akwetey
Koforidua-Osino
An aspiring parliamentary candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the Fanteakwa Constituency in the Eastern Region, has called for the strengthening of the party's constituency structures, so as to facilitate the effective mobilization of its supporters.
Mr. Okyere-Agyekum Kofi, popularly known as Arafat, disclosed that the party could only retain power, in both the parliamentary and presidential elections, when effective structures are put in place.
He made the disclosure to the paper, in an interview, at his Osino residence over the weekend.
The man, who holds an Executive Masters Degree in Business Administration from GIMPA, said he was optimistic that the electorate would retain the NPP in power, as a result of good policies, such as the School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), among others, which the party has undertaken within the seven and half years period in office.
The aspiring candidate continued that he believed the time had come for him to be given the mandate, to represent the constituency in parliament, because he had what it takes to do so.
Using the test case, where Nana Akufo Addo placed second to then candidate Kufuor in the 1998 NPP congress, and late last year, got the nod to lead the NPP, he was optimistic that since he came second to the sitting MP, Mr. Kwadwo Adjei Addo, he (Arafat), just like Nana Addo, would emerge the parliamentary candidate for the area, after the primary.
He explained that even though he lost bitterly to the incumbent MP, who has declared his intention not to contest the seat again in the upcoming election, he decided to support the MP to win power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), since the party was supreme over any individual interest.
He disclosed that he sas no reason why the incumbent MP would not support him, in his bid to retain the seat for the party, since he also helped him, when he (the MP) needed his support, to enable him win the seat, four years ago.
Mr. Arafat said this in a response to a question, this reporter asked him, as to whether the sitting MP would throw his weight behind him, in his bid to retain the seat for the party in the forth-coming election.
The parliamentary candidate, who is now the Supply Chain Manager of Cleaning Solutions Limited, said when elected into power, as the MP of the area, he would strengthen and improve the farming system of the people, since the area was a predominantly farming community.
He mentioned irrigation, education on modern technology of farming, such as application of fertilizers, as some of the major steps he intended to adopt, in order to ensure high yields of productivity.
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He continued that his second priority would be education, since that was the only way to enhance development, and eradicate poverty in the area.
Even though he admitted that the primary objective of an MP was to formulate laws, he would use his position as MP, to lobby and influence decisions in the House, to get the area its share of the national cake.
Mr. Arafat indicated that he was optimistic of wining the primary, and subsequently the parliamentary elections, since he was the very embodiment of the youth in the area.
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