PROF. MIKE OQUAYE'S LEGACY... IN THE DOME-KWABENYA CONSTITUENCY

PROF. MIKE OQUAYE'S LEGACY... IN THE DOME-KWABENYA CONSTITUENCY

Professor Michael Aaron Oquaye became the first Member of Parliament for the Dome-Kwabenya constituency from its birth in 2004. His determination to positively transform the constituency and its people has left an indelible mark of development which will forever live on. Since entering Parliament in 2005, his main vision has been to change the constituency from rural to a city status. This vision he pursues with so much zeal, passion, determination and assiduousness as it is clearly manifested in the numerous projects he has initiated, executed and influenced in the constituency.

“This is Ga Rural area and I am determined to de-ruralise it” he said in an interview with the Timeline.

And his efforts are yielding fruits: just six years into his term of office, the Ga East District of which the constituency is part, attained a municipal status in 2007 through his hard work and political influence.

Recently the Timeline took a tour to the Dome-Kwabenya constituency to observe the level of developmental projects the learned professor has facilitated so far. It was discovered during the tour that the former Energy and Communications minister has executed and attracted major projects towards the development of the area particularly in education, health and sanitation, rural electrification, security, roads, potable water, among others. Speaking in an interview with the Timeline at his Haatso Residence after the tour, Prof. Oquaye summarized his motivation for the giant developmental strides as “service to the people”.

“This was an area without development. Until I became an MP in 2005,the constituency did not have a single public street light. I became Energy Minister and we now have several all over. We lacked basic social amenities such as good roads, water, library, police station, hospital and Senior High School. But now, serious progress has been made in providing those social amenities that make a place a city. Today, go to the Atomic Roundabout there are streetlights all over. We are moving forward” he said.

The former Diplomat has exhibited the mark of excellence indeed as the Dome-Kwabenya constituency now have lots of tangible proofs of major developmental projects to show; almost attaining the city status.

EDUCATION
The importance the Law Professor attaches to education is shown in the numerous educational interventions Dome-Kwabenya can now boast of.

His interventions at the basic school level include the construction of a 3-unit classroom block with offices at the Atomic D/A basic school. The project was initiated and abandoned by the PTA at window level. He took over and fully completed it. He hasalso helped with a 3-unit classroom block and the provision of more than 100 dual desks for the Taifa Community School. In addition, he re-roofed classroom blocks at the Dome and Kwabenya D/A Basic Schools which were destroyed by wind.

At the Atomic D/A basic schools, Prof. Oquaye had provided an 8-seater water closet toilet with a poly tank which has considerably improved the sanitation situation in the school. He disclosed in an interview that he would love to replicate this project across all school in the constituency.

It was gathered at the Atomic D/A basic school that it used to have 160 pupils in one classroom, creating lots of stress for teachers, making teaching and learning ineffective. In

effect, the two new classroom blocks have not only helped in decongesting the school but also to reduce the shift system to some extent.

The documentation of Prof. Oquaye's educational contributions in the constituency will be incomplete without mentioning the forthcoming Senior High/Technical School at Atomic. For the first time in its history, the Dome – Kwabenya Constituency will boast of a second cycle institution from September 2011. The school which will focus more on technical training will be a day school and will be affordable by all.

“Technical and computer training will become a very important aspect of this constituency. Also, training for those skills which are needed for the oil industry will be done here” he said. This according to Prof is to equip the youth to take advantage of the opportunities in the emerging oil industry. Ongoing is also the construction of a modern library and an ICT complex which will be incorporated into the secondary school. As at time of the visit,Prof. has so far secured 400 books meant for stocking the library of the school.

Prof. Mike Oquaye's commitment to the total development of people is evidenced through the numerous sponsorships he gives to the needy and the less privileged who need assistance to go to school. This reporter saw documentation which showed that at least more than 500 students have benefited from this sponsorship programme ranging from full scholarships to fees intervention depending on the level of need. A notable example is the sponsoring of the university educationof a visually impaired gentleman, Alex Hodor,for four years. He hascurrently graduated with a BA in Social Education from the University of Education, Winneba.“I call that human development...and I don't play with it at all”...Prof noted and continued: “Both infrastructural and human development must go together to attain holistic development”. Mr. Hodor, who was full of appreciation for the MP said excitedly “without Prof, I will not be what I am today. God Bless him”.

HEALTH AND SANITATION
In his bid to address the health needs of the people, Prof. Oquaye has commenced the first phase of a model three-storey Hospital Complex at Taifa- Burkina. It will include residential facilities for doctors and nurses, a theatre, 2 maternity wards, male, female and children's wards etc. Currently, the constituency has no public hospital. A visit by the Timeline to the site saw workers busily working on the project. Some residents who spoke to this paper expressed satisfaction about the MP's initiative saying such a project will go a long way to give them access to quality and affordable health care. Prof indicated in an interview: “I will complete the ground floor for work to commence in a year's time. The next MP which I hope will be from the NPP will continue to another level”. He was happy to have laid the foundation for this great vision and quoted from scriptures: “one man sows, another waters and God gives the increase”.

Sanitation wise, he constructed a 12-seater toilet at the Haatso Yam market, three separate toilets at Dome and one at Kwabenya to improve the sanitation situation in the constituency.

Hygiene in schools is dear to the Prof. He disclosed in an interview that he would replicate a toilet project which he executed at the Atomic D/A Basic School in other schools in the constituency. This is to ensure that the girls especially are “brought up with appropriate hygienic facilities” he noted.

SECURITY
Prof. Oquaye's great concern about security issues informed his decision to create a lasting solution to the security threats especially criminal activities faced by the constituents. The constituency never had a police station except the small Atomic police station which was created to protect the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission as an institution.

In view of this, Prof has started the construction of a 3-storey building police station at Taifa with accommodation facilities for at least 10 police officers. The idea is to complete the first floor and get the place operational whiles work continues on the other two floors. Prof Oquaye expects the facility which is being funded from the common fund and his own resources to be operational by September this year. To him, Police presence in the community makes a lot of difference, in that they are able to attend promptly to emergency cases. “Once the police come to live in the community, we shall have plenty of security and the people will be safe.” he noted. The project is at an advanced stage at the time of the tour.

In the interim, he has provided 3 containerised police posts at Agbogba, Haatso and Ashongman Estate which have served a great deal in checking criminal activities in the constituency.

ELECTRIFICATION
The absence of light was one situation which further aggravated the security problem in the constituency. In telling its history, Dome- Kwabenya, had no single street light before Prof. Oquaye became the MP in 2005. Abladjei for instance has never had light until June 2005 when Prof came to the rescue.

Notably, whiles serving as the sector minister at the Ministry of Energy, Prof. Oquaye secured a $45 million donation from Indiafor rural electrification and the installation of new transformers etc. Many areas benefited, Dome-Kwabenya benefited from this donation.

Through the efforts of Prof. Oquaye, Dome-Kwabenya can now boast of about 2000 street lights in areas such as Ablajdei, Agbogba, Kwabenya, Ashongman, Haatso, Papao, Dome, Oko, Taifa, Taifa-Abuom, Taifa- Adjei Haleluya etc.He has also installed two new transformers at Taifa Wakiki and Abladjei. Recently he secured and donated 100 street light bulbs to a number of communities including Dome, Haatso, Ashongman, Dome-CFC and Taifa-Obohene-Down for replacing burnt bulbs and fixing new ones.

He has also approved and facilitated the construction of Electricity Metro Office at Atomic-Down whiles still serving at the Energy Ministry.The initial situation of constituents perching at Legon Electricity Station as appendages is now history as the new ECG station directly serves the constituents.

Prof. Mike Oqauye indicated that the light and police presence are the two major interventions he has put in place to improve the security situation. “The people are now safe because criminal activities have reduced due to the lights and the police presence in the containers. This will further improve when the Police Station is opened soon.”

PROVISION OF POTABLE WATER
Lack of potable water has been a major source of concern to the Taifa community and others for more than 20 years. Whiles serving at the Ministry of Communications, Prof. Mike Oquaye managed to secure $ 20 million donation from the erstwhile telecommunication company, Areeba with the help of Ex-president Kufuor to work out the solution to the perennial water problem at Taifa. Some people in the Taifa community now have water flowing through their taps. Those who still do not have water are people whose service lines have been blocked and choked over the years. According to Prof, the then NPP government set up a Special Task Force to work on this. Unfortunately their work was put on hold with the change of government. He however gave the assurance that he is following up to ensure that the water which has reached Taifa, is extended to all.

Speaking to the Timeline in an interview, Prof. Oquaye was full of passion and excitement about the issue, saying it is one singular achievement out of the lot he feels so proud about. “It was a long negotiation. I hadto squeeze water out of stone. Bringing water from Weija to the people of Taifa is one thing I'm very proud of” he remarked. “I want to see that the project is fully completed and it will happen... by God's grace”.

Othermeasures he took to tackle the water problem was the provision of jumbo polytanks for residents in Dome, Taifa, Haatso, Papao, Ashongman, Oko Abladjei, Agbogba, etc.

ROADS AND BRIDGES
Prof has built several wooden bridges to link parts of his constituency. “Many roads have been bad for ages and are still bad. I am chasing the authorities and will continue to do so till they are done. In Taifa, Ashongman and parts of Dome, contracts have been awarded. The moment money is ready, work will commence” he noted.

Lots of construction and rehabilitation work have also taken place on a number of major roads to facilitate easy movement of the people and also curb serious fatal accidents. These include the construction of the Atomic roundabout and installation of street lightswhich checked the traffic situation and ended the rampant accidents that used to occur. “An innocent child doesn't get knocked down by a vehicle there any more” Prof. remarked.

The phenomenon of frequent accidents on the Agbogba-Ablajei road has also now become a thing of the past as the once accident prone road has now been tarred, with pavements at both sides and also installed with streetlights. The previously dusty road which stretched from Dome to Oko has also been tarred and installed with streetlights through Prof Oquaye's follow-up efforts.

The two-term Legislator said he also pursued the authorities to embark on theconstruction and rehabilitation of roads and drainage systems in Taifa, Dome, Haatso, Oko, Agbogba, Kwabenya, Papao, Abladjei, Taifa-Abuom, Bankyease, Ashongman etc. Other works are being pursued.

It was gathered that there was no Post Office in Dome-Kwabenya before Prof Oquaye became MP. Whiles, at the Communications Ministry, he constructedtwo post offices with ICT centres at Atomic Junction and Taifa. These post offices have 500 post boxes each with internet services at the ICT centres.The Postal Manager in charge of the Atomic Post office Mr. Fred Tei told the Timelinethat the facility is already operational though yet to be commissioned with a current staff capacity of three.The Taifa facility however is in full operation and serving the people. Residents who spoke to this paper were full of praises for the Professor.

THE HAATSO YAM MARKET
In an attempt to improve economic activities in the constituency, Prof. Oquaye constructed a huge shed at what is now known as the 'Basali Yam Market' at Haatso with a sanitary facility and lights fixed all over. He told the Timeline that he fixed the yam market project with his personal resources.

Mr.Napo Gbandi, chairman of the yam market in an interaction with the Timeline observed that the market has given employment to the young men and women, especially yam farmers from the northern region who initially had difficulties in getting market for their produce.

Mr. Gbandifurther noted that it has had positive economic impact on their livelihoods as most of them are now able to pay their wards' school fees and also invest into other businesses like the transport business. Others too have been able to further their education. “The toilet and the bathroom have also improved sanitation in the market and its immediate environs “In fact the Professor has helped us a lot” he concluded.

Prof's sincere heart to serve the people goes beyond the normal administrative works and projects. He has given micro assistance to people to start their own businesses, established people in trade such as concrete moulding and tailoring, donated items such as cement bags to schools and other organisations, distributed corn mills: the list is endless. The Dome-Kwabenya Women's Cooperative is a major beneficiary.

Record has it that, he intervened with an amount of GH¢ 2000 on a child's medical treatment to save him from amputation.

The Timeline had the opportunity to go through a pile of files with various requests ranging from students fees, start up capitals for businesspeople, churches seeking donations for annual harvest among others.All these he responds to.

The mark of a true nationalist indeed! Prof says society has given him a lot and it behoves him to give back to it. He has an open house policy which he says he is proud of. A visit to his house in the early hours of the day will see him attending to the needs of constituents who have converged in the house to seek his assistance in one way or the other.

“I think about the people a lot and to me the welfare and development of the people are what matters to me most. When the people's lives are improved by the numerous projects and interventions, I get satisfied. We have not done it all. I can not do all. But a lot has been done in these six years, and we are marching on”. He added.

POLITICAL PERFORMANCE AT ELECTIONS
In response to the strong performance of Prof Mike Oquaye in winning votes for the NPP, it is useful to reproduce Ben Ephson's analysis of the NPP's performance in the 2008 general presidential and parliamentary elections. At the time when the party lost numerous votes in the Greater Accra Region, the least votes lost were in Prof's Dome-Kwabenya Constituency.

See below:
'In the Greater Accra Region, Nana Akuffo Addo lost a total of 118,218 votes in nine constituencies in 2008 vis-à-vis the performance of Ex- president John Kufuor in the 2004 elections. The Constituencies are:

1. Weija 20,188
2. Ablekuma North 13,885
3. Tema East 13,394
4. Tema West 13,181
5. Ablekuma South 12,461
6. Ayawaso Central 9,293
7. Okaokwei North 9,169
8. Ledzokuku 9,042
9. Dome-Kwabenya 7,644'

(See Daily Dispatch, 20th January, 2011, pg. 12.)

Atomic Down Roundabout,Also Known as OQUAYE

Cover at Burkina

Floor of 1st phase of the 3-storey hospital project

hospital project

Library and ICT Center,Also site for Secondary Techical School

East Kwabenya police post

Ongoing 3 storey police station at Taifa

Post Office and ICT Center at Taifa

Schoool block

Basali Yam Market at Haatso

The Electricity Office at Atomic Down