Sophia upbeat about chances in NDC Dome-Kwabenya Primaries

Barring any last minute changes, the Dome-Kwabenya constituency of ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) goes to the primaries on Saturday to select a winnable candidate to wrestle the seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). One of the lead candidates in next Saturday’s primaries, and arguably the most sought after by both ally and foe, Sophia Karen Akuaku says she is in pole-position to emerge victorious, at the end of the day.

Although she concedes that delegates these days are becoming unpredictable, the parliamentary hopeful believes she has done enough work on the ground to ensure a comfortable win over the three other contestants including a former minister. “Once I pick the party’s ticket, victory over NPP at the general elections is a sure bet,” she told The Lead in an interview.

According to Ms Akuaku, a contractor and social worker, feasibility studies carried out by her campaign team across the constituency makes her confident that she was the best person to meet the aspirations of the constituents, if elected in 2012.

She believes: “Leadership is not lordship, since a leader is there to serve not to be served. I came in with the belief that I have the obligation to serve others and the good people of Dome-Kwabenya can attest to this fact.” Speaking to The Lead in an exclusive interview at her residence at Haatso near Legon on Sunday afternoon, the parliamentary hopeful said her team had been carrying out its campaign on the ground, but deliberately refused to make public comments in spite of provocations from her opponents. “The party’s manifesto is themed on building “A Better Ghana” which should manifest in good roads, water, electricity, schools and hospitals for all, and the people of Dome-Kwabenya must not be left out of this,” she emphasised. She lamented the bad roads that most of the constituents have had to commute on daily, to and back from their daily chores, coupled with the lack of potable water and sanitation facilities in most parts.

According to her provision of potable water, reconstruction of the roads in the constituency, provision of drains and places of convenience would be the immediate priority projects to tackle as soon as she is elected MP for the area. “In addition, I will take a serious look at the health and agriculture sectors as well in the constituency to bring quality service delivery to my people,” Ms. Akuaku promised.

She believes her entrepreneurial skills would be put to good use in creating decent employment avenues for the constituents.

On the educational needs of the constituency, Ms Akuaku promised to build four new libraries from her own resources for the four wards in the constituency, to encourage reading among the constituents, put up a Technical and Vocational training centre to serve as a skills training centre for the youth, while encouraging the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education to deepen its activities in the constituency to help more adults acquire literacy skills.

The parliamentary hopeful who has extensive experience in the grass-root mobilisation of women and youth and training them in vocational skills said she intends to bring skills training for more of the youth who could not continue their educations in batik-tie and dye making, dressmaking, tailoring, carpentry, masonry, baking, cake decoration and cosmetology, among others at the proposed vocational training centre.

“I will also encourage young graduates to enter into entrepreneurship to ease the burden of employment on central government,” she promised, explaining that entrepreneurship is the best for the country, as it boosts development, increases taxation and creates jobs for the youth.

Ms Akuaku whose campaign is hinged on the theme: Unity, Peace and Development frowns on politics of insults, but rather approaches issues with the eye on finding solutions to them.

Sophia Karen Akuaku is a mother of three, and a former Regional Manager of the Golden Souvenir Lotto Company in theUpper East and Upper West regions, Managing Director of Eligreen Enterprise, a landscape designing and decorations company. She was also a director for Amsos Ghana Ltd, and Secretary to the Association of Women in Development (AWDE) and Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs, (FEBWE).

She also served as the Project Officer for the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE) and the Committee as well as the Federation of ECOWAS Business Women Entrepreneurs (FEBWE) Ghana Committee and focal person for International Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs (IFBWE). She is also a patron of the Women of Substance Association. WOSA, and believes in women’s empowerment and emancipation.

On the performance of the government the parliamentary hopeful was full of praise of President John Evans Atta Mills and his team for the way they have been working to fulfil the Better Ghana Agenda as captured in the party’s 2008 manifesto

“With time everybody, including NPP members would begin to admit to the good works President Mills and his government have been doing since taking power in January 2009,” she hoped

She urged party delegates to help brighten the chances of the NDC in Dome-Kwabenya, by giving her the nod at Saturday’s primaries. Ms Akuaku also urged the constituents to break away from the past, since NPP’s eight-year stewardship in the constituency had brought no change to them. “Vote NDC to parliament to bring you the needed change and new opportunities,” she appealed. S