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10.05.2007 NPP

In-fighting threatens NPP’s Nkwanta seat

10.05.2007 LISTEN
By myjoyonline

The Chronicle says the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) may lose the Nkwanta North parliamentary seat which is its sole seat in the Volta Region, if steps are not taken to quell ongoing internal squabbles within the party in the constituency that has left the occupant of the seat, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Joseph Kwaku Nayan, a worried man for sometime now.

The development started not long after the NPP MP assumed the seat as a legislator and was given additional responsibility as the Deputy Volta Regional Minister when some key party activists in the area were suspected to be undermining all efforts of the MP.

The MP himself expressed his worries about ongoing developments in his constituency and its potential effect on the chances of the ruling party when he granted The Chronicle an interview to ascertain claims about his doubtful chances in retaining the seat in 2008.

Mr. Nayan, who clearly looked worried about the problems in the area, lamented during the interview that some party members of the NPP in the constituency had resorted to polluting the minds of the electorate against him with the intention of selecting a different candidate to contest for the seat on the ticket of the same party in the 2008 polls.

The MP observed that since he managed to win the parliamentary elections in that constituency in 2004, some members of his party who thought he had had an easy stroll to his current position had embarked on what he called, "an unhealthy campaign," to abuse the minds of the people against him.

"I am however not worried because the people can testify whether or not we, as a government, have neglected them. The only thing that worries me most is the involvement of my own party members in discrediting me and ridiculing the pil¬lar that I lean against; I mean the great NPP Party".

The MP said the greatest problems of the people in the constituency were the lack of electricity, potable water and a quality road network which problems the government was tackling gradually through his instrumentality, adding that plans were far advanced to connect electricity through the north to the constituency.

He disclosed that potable water would be provided to the people through the Oti River under the auspices of the Jimmy Carter Foundation with support from the government while a number of roads have already been awarded on contract for resurfacing and gravelling.

Mr. Nayan expressed optimism that he would retain the seat in the 2008 elections in spite of the numerous attempts by the NDC and some party activists to work against him and the party.

Meanwhile some members of the constituency, mainly the youth, have accused the MP of what they claim is a total neglect of the constituency in terms of development projects and blamed the NPP government for what they described as making vain promises to the people at the time the party needed their votes.

According to some of the youth, the attitude of the MP and the NPP towards the development of the area would make, "us not to vote for the party in the next elections. Look, the construction of the Kadjebi-Brewaniase-Nkwanta - Damako road has come to a standstill and if the NPP thinks they will wait and use it to ask for our votes then they will be disappointed."

The Nkwanta North Constituency was the only seat won by the ruling party in the Volta region out of 22 constituencies in the region. The remaining 21 seats went to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

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