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14.04.2008 Politics

‘John Mahama failed as MP’: Can he do any better as Vice president?

14.04.2008 LISTEN
By The Statesman

Questions are now beginning to emerge as to the competence, contributions and service rendered to the people of Bole/Bamboi constituency during the three consecutive terms of John Dramani Mahama, the newly chosen running mate to the NDC flagbearer and the incumbent MP, to represent the area.

Mahama Haruna, a New Patriotic Party activist and a former Secretary of the National Union of Ghana Students, says the choice of the Bole/Bamboi MP as the running mate for the NDC flagbearer came as a surprise to many of the constituents because according to him, "He failed to live up to the expectation and aspirations of the people.”

According to Mr Haruna, the MP who also served as a Communications Minister in the NDC government, had every opportunity to lobby, influence and facilitate development projects in the constituency but performed abysmally and wondered what he could bring to the nation as a vice president if the party wins the 2008 polls.

The former student leader who is also a government appointee to the Bole District Assembly disclosed that John Mahama since 2005 has never attended any of the district's meetings though he is an ex-officio member of the assembly.

"This shows how much the MP has the welfare and interest of the people at heart,” he stressed.

Mr Haruna, a former NPP constituency secretary for Bole-Bamboi, told The Statesman in an exclusive interview that it would be wrong for anyone to think that NPP is 'dead' in the constituency because of the selection of Mr John Mahama as a running mate.

Rather, he said, it presents a challenge to the NPP activists in the area to embark on a vigorous campaign based on issues.
“It will interest you to know that voters in Bole township voted massively for NPP in the 2004 general election resulting in the NPP increasing its vote from three thousand in 2000 to seven thousand in 2004,” he stated.
He went further, "I can assure you that with a little effort the NPP can spring a big surprise by winning in the NDC running mate's backyard."

The NPP activist noted that the constituency under the NPP government has witnessed unprecedented development projects and infrastructure.

He mentioned that Bole is now connected to state broadcaster GTV, has a booster for FM transmission, a properly functioning communications networks, a District Police Quarters, a Rural Bank, tarring of Bole-Mandari road, near completion of Bole-Bamboi road, and the construction of Bui Dam which is expected to provide jobs for the many unemployed youth in the area.

Meanwhile, Mr Haruna has congratulated John Mahama for his new position of partnering the NDC presidential candidate and commended him for bringing the name of Bole/Bamboi to national attention.

By slarge

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