I deserve another term -Akoto Osei

Hon. Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, MP for Old Tafo

THE FORMER Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei has touted his achievements since assuming office as the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo constituency, stressing that his achievements over the years is his major trump card.

The former Finance Minister in the erstwhile NPP administration says he has done enough to merit a second term in the constituency, and hopes that his tenure would inure to the benefit of the people in the constituency.

Dr. Akoto made the statement during an interaction with the media, after picking his nomination forms at the party's constituency office in Tafo.

Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei became the MP for Old-Tafo/Pankrono Constituency on 7th January, 2005, after winning the NPP primary elections in August 2004, and the Parliamentary elections on 7th December 2004 respectively.

In the last primaries conducted in the Ashanti Region by the NPP, the Economics Professor of International repute beat his contestant, Mr. Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie (now NPP General Secretary), by a margin of six (6) votes.

He thus stood on the NPP ticket for the newly created Old Tafo constituency and polled 34,174. He was subsequently elected unopposed in the run up to the 2008 general elections to once again represent the constituency on the ticket of the NPP.

The former Finance Minister pointed out that the Old Tafo constituency has undergone massive transformation in the areas of roads, education and infrastructure, which he said was unprecedented in the history of the constituency.

'I have built schools using my share of GETfund and HIPC fund, provided infrastructure for Tafo Hospital, with the second largest maternity block in Ghana nearing completion, I have also provided a canteen, ambulance and there is on-going work on two semi-detached bungalows for doctors in the Tafo Hospital, while a massive infrastructural transformation is ongoing at the Pankrono Health Centre,' he noted.

Dr. Akoto also stated that through his leadership, he has been able to improve on water services, which hitherto was a serious problem in the constituency. He has provided a water booster at Pankrono, to enable the constituents get good drinking water.

On education, Dr. Akoto said a number of students from Primary up to University level have benefitted from his scholarship scheme, while a lot of schools have also seen massive improvement in infrastructure, including the construction of a library complex for the Methodist cluster of schools.

He also added that with support form the Danish and British government,, as well as the UNDP, a number of school projects have also been undertaken in the constituency.

'Road networks in the constituency have improved tremendously and we are all living witnesses to it. I have resourced the fire service at Suame Magazine and a post office is under construction. A Skills Training Center which I put up has also trained a lot of the youth in getting employable skills,' he stressed.

The former Finance Minister said his decision to contest the seat again is not borne out of self interest, but rather the will to serve the people.

'I am mindful of the call to serve the good people of Old Tafo, and the quest to accomplish for the constituency the noble works I have put in motion; I still believe that the unflinching support and loyalty by my party delegates give me the impetus to put myself up again for a third term as an MP,' He solemnly pledged.