Meet Desmond  William Ocloo : The New Shai Osudoku NDC Parlimentary Candidate

For some of us, we were not born in the cities to enjoy all the luxuries that government and technology provide. But in our small world in the shai land, we grew up early to the realization that self-help is the Way to go. Our towns which seems far from the reach of modern Accra is the true depiction of how the value of an item cannot be determined by its appearance; a town where development seems to have long taken flight.

The roads are bad and some members of the community still live in mud houses and animals struggling with human being for water in this 21^st century. With reality of self-development staring us in our faces, the youth in the area, have resolved to self-development as a way of making an impact in the emerging competitive world.

As a result, the shai land has turned to town of surprises in terms of creativity among its youth. As the sleepy town for once in my life, I am beginning to be very happy to come from Shai-Osudoku as I realized the youth have really become proactive. The youth have actively been involved in decision making and the youth are taking no chances.

Our leaders have been crippled, banks have been crippled, parents have been crippled, opinion leaders have been crippled, our lands have been crippled and everything crippled and we sit down and crying just like the rivers of Babylon, where people sat there and wept when they remember Zion.

Hon. Desmond William Ocloo, the newly elected NDC Parliamentary candidate for Shai-Osudoku constituency is an interesting personality. The dainty look handsome puts forward a very cool and calm looks befitting a parliamentarian.

Desmond Possess a countenance that suits the angels; soft spoken and never pushed to hurt his nerves by emotions. But behind the calm façade is a strong willed man who can lay his life for the emancipation of the down trodden.

This has been the task grappling with right from his youthful age, a course he wants to embark on to become a politician and save the image of the people of Shai. Desmond William Ocloo has won the NDC parliamentary election for the 2016 general elections unseating the incumbent David Tetteh Assumeng. David Tetteh Assumeng was the parliamentary candidate for the constituency since 2004.

Assumeng picked the baton from Mike Gizo. Desmond Willliam Ocloo pulled 4,350, Dr. Kpessah Whyte pulled 3,189, David Tetteh Assumeng, 1280 and Ebenezer Adzakli pulled 393.

Prior to the voting, a research conducted by the Free Expression newspaper predicted victory for Ocloo. The survey conducted was captured as the winning face among the NDC’s most leading contenders in the race for the parliamentary seat in the area. The NDC primaries has so far been marred by scores of voter register irregularities as thousands of card bearing members had not their names in the register – developments which emanated to scores of violence and quarreling.

Over 500 voters were denied voting at the Aperko electoral area post office square. Dodowa Township came to a standstill when William was declared the winner. The constituents voted for William because they were counting on a candidate who was always identified with them, adding that, Ocloo (a.k.a Joe Willie) is a rural-born person who understands the plight of the rural people in their difficult times”.

They said he had over the last decade or so supported and energized his base shai Osudoku with vitality, noting that he had worked day and night, body and soul to meet the socio-economic aspirations of the down-trodden in the area “since he does not know of any great satisfaction than honour and efficient service he may render to common man”

The shai Osudoku NDC voters said further that, they had compared the manifestoes of the four Aspiring MPs and that, Mr. ocloo had the most impressive message, especially his planned programme action for the youth, women and children, education, road infrastructure, agric, health and jobs creation “which have triggered our emotional, physical and psychological support for Mr. Ocloo’s candidacy in this race”.

The Shai Osudoku constituency known to be the ruling NDC’s “world Bank” though the electorate in the area had never seen development as all the roads in the area were in deplorable state.

“Here in the Shai Osudoku, most of the classrooms for the school children are nothing more than a death trap, and education standard has woefully fallen, schools are still under tree with no motivation for the teachers” noted an observer. The ruling NDC had since the fourth Republic in 1992 been in the sweeping win in the general elections in the country, with the renowned shai Osudoku constituency delivering the most convincing votes to the party. Shai Osudoku constituency is one of the places in the country with a large population living below the poverty line as compared to their counter- parts on the coastline.

The eligible NDC, however observed that Mr. ocloo is the one who can identify their problems and address them in parliament- he can therefore, bring about a positive change in our lives. Given his rich experience in our quest for a new dawn and new reality”.

The voters rejected the incumbent MP because he has failed to improve upon their lives and championed developments projects in the constituency.

Desmond William Ocloo started his education at Ghanata secondary school (1989-1993), obtained his diploma in Accounting from IPS now University of Professional Studies in the year 1995. He further proceeds to do the ACCA 1 & 2 at the same institution in 1996 and master’s degree in Business Administration ( MBA) Finance option from the Kwame University of Science and Technology in the year 2012.

He has work in a number of institutions; in 1995-2004, he was the Accountant at Ghanata secondary school, 2004-2006, he became the head of accounting department at the Action Progressive Institute, in 1998, financial secretary for Missions of God Church, Dodowa and until his election as NDC parliamentary candidate, he was the chief Finance Officer at the Mining and Building Construction firm (MBC)

He was very active in his political carrier and most of the activities in the constituency, for instance, Desmond is a staunch member of the constituency campaign team of the NDC and supported the constituency financially during the thank you tour and during the biometric registration in 2015. Very importantly, he was a member of TEIN –IPS in 2004-2006.

Desmond is a very ambitious young man in shai osudoku. He was the National President: Chartered Certified Accountant Student Society in Ghana, 2005-2006 and also a member of the ACCA branch Committee. He was very instrumental during his days at the MBC; he was a member of the TRC that negotiated the mining and Building Contractors (MBC) AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) contract, 2009-2011.

He was also very instrumental in the restructuring of Mining and Building Contractors. In 2007 -2012, he was the head of the management team that negotiated workers’ wages and salaries with the Ghana Mine Workers’ Wages and Salaries with the Ghana Mine Workers Union and others in Ghanata Secondary School

Desmond has a clear Vision for the people of Shai Osudoku; namely

Leadership transformation
William Desmond Ocloo will do the following as part of his leadership transformation agenda

Bringing leadership to the doorstep of the people
Getting more closer to the people
Bringing the youth into leadership
Helping resolve the impasse among the chiefs to foster peace and unity among the traditional leaders

Over and above all, constituting a council of elders who will periodically counsel and advise the MP.

Economic transformation
Ensure the continuity of existing markets, expand the infrastructure and build new ones

Creating employment and job avenues
Rehabilitating roads to become motorable
Empowering the women through giving of soft loan, and equipping them with skills etc.

Supporting agriculture by subsidizing ploughing for farmers, subsidizing farm inputs etc.

Human capital development
Establishing an education fund
Advocating girl child education
Building more schools
Support the establishment of more pre-schools
Social mobilization
Engaging the masses in decision making
Actively participating in all social activities that is festivals, communal work etc.

Support for the aged, the poor, the disadvantaged and the vulnerable

Encouraging the establishment of community based organizations

Establish two sports complexes one in the Shai - enclave and another in the Osu – enclave

Desmond William Ocloo has called on the other contestants to join hands together to help developed shai osudoku .

Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu is a registered Naturopathic doctor who specializes in prostate cancer. He studies the Master’s program in prostate cancer-Sheffield Hallam University, UK and currently a PhD candidate in prostate cancer and alternative medicines –IBAM Academy, Kolkata, India. The writer is also a trained Psychosocial Counselor from the Akona School of Counseling Ghana. His research focuses on men of West African descent and prostate cancer and the dangme people. He can be reached on 0500106570 for all contributions. E-mail:[email protected]. He is the director of Men’s Health Foundation Ghana; De Men’s Clinic & Prostate Research Lab-Dodowa,Akoo House. He is currently working on his book “ The state of the Dangme land”