#Election2024: Atiwa West District’s NCCE stages inter-part dialogue

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Atiwa West Constituency of the Eastern Region, in collaboration with the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), organized a platform at Kwabeng on November 23, 2024.

The event provided an opportunity for political parties contesting the constituency’s parliamentary election to present their messages to constituents.

Dr. Dennis Owusu-Appiah Ofosuapea, the parliamentary candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), was the only candidate present. He responded to questions on agriculture, health, education, and security, highlighting unresolved challenges under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as areas he intends to address.

Regarding agriculture, Dr. Dennis pledged to restore Atiwa West’s reputation as a food basket of the Eastern Region. He announced plans to establish an investment bank in the constituency to provide financial support to farmers interested in large-scale farming. “Atiwa West is endowed with rivers and various sources of water. We will provide the indigents with equipment to start fish ponds, providing them with fingerlings on a large scale,” he stated.

On security, Dr. Dennis emphasized the NDC’s 24-hour economy strategy, which he claimed would enhance security nationwide. “It is my major priority to ensure that the youth in the Atiwa West Constituency are recruited into the various security services to make them financially independent,” he remarked.

He also addressed the persistent threat of illegal mining, noting that while both small- and large-scale mining cannot be fully eradicated, reclaiming mining lands remains a viable solution. To curb illegal mining, Dr. Dennis revealed plans to make $2 million accessible to individuals ready to start alternative businesses. Additionally, the NDC intends to employ workers to rehabilitate degraded lands after indiscriminate mining.

In education, Dr. Dennis promised to uphold the district assembly’s constitutional mandate to ensure poor children and orphans have access to education in line with Ghana’s education policy. “I will ensure that the district assembly’s constitutional mandate to offer poor children and orphans access to education is strongly adhered to in the Atiwa West District,” he pledged.

Dr. Dennis was critical of the NPP’s economic management, accusing it of being the most indebted government in Ghana’s history. “The NPP is the biggest borrowing government since independence. They have borrowed heavily from foreign donors yet failed to address infrastructural deficits or account for the funds,” he alleged.

Akyem Muosohene Osabarima Dr. Owusu Beyeeman, who chaired the event, commended the NCCE and IPDC for facilitating the interaction between political parties and their supporters. He also praised Dr. Dennis for his commitment to improving the constituency. “The people desire economic independence and peace at all times. I urge political parties in Atiwa West to prioritize development and ensure peace beyond election years,” he advised.

The program moderator, Mercy Adjoa Bonnie, Atiwa West District GNAT Secretary, stated that the event aimed to elicit responses from parliamentary candidates on key indicators identified in the IPDC and NCCE survey. She emphasized the importance of peace and unity among supporters, urging them to avoid being influenced by political parties to incite violence on election day.

Reverend Stephen Dwamena Kwateng of the Assemblies of God Church in Kwabeng stressed the importance of political diversity in Ghana’s party system. He encouraged followers to respect differing opinions and unite behind the winning party in the 2024 elections to maintain law and order. “The daily tasks of educating, working, and sticking to norms must continue uninterrupted. Let us unite behind the winning party to curb lawlessness,” he stated.

Atiwa West District Director of the NCCE, Joseph Owusu Koranteng, highlighted the commission’s ongoing survey on voter concerns in areas such as education, health, agriculture, and the economy. He lamented the lack of resources to fulfill the NCCE’s core mandate of intensifying voter education across all parts of the district. “Election is about freedom of expression devoid of conflicts. I urge the parties to focus on campaign messages that advance development and unity among supporters,” he encouraged.