"Don’t vote on party lines" - PPP candidate

Mr. Kwabena Amuquandoh Okyere, Progressive People’s Party (PPP) parliamentary candidate for the newly created Tema Central Constituency has called on the electorate not to vote only on party affiliations in the December polls but rather to consider the track records of all the candidates contesting the elections.

Mr. Okere, popularly known as "Igwe" stated that past parliamentary candidates who were voted for on purely party affiliation had woefully failed the residents of Tema East and Tema West Constituencies from which the Tema Central Constituency was carved.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday, the PPP parliamentary candidate said evidence in the constituency showed that Tema had gradually lost its beauty over the years and filth had taken over the Harbour City.

He attributed the deteriorated situation to the inability of the MPs to collaborate with the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) to device an innovative and efficient system of collecting sewage and refuse fees from residents.

This, he said, had led to the inability of the authorities to pay the refuse companies in-charge of the daily collection of refuse leading to the abandoning of the refuse collection exercise.

“It is now a common sight in Tema to see heaps of refuse on the streets and in front of people’s houses as well as broken down sewer pipelines”, he observed.

Mr. Okyere gave the assurance that when voted as Tema Central MP he will ensure that in collaboration with the TMA, collection of refuse fees would be decentralized to ensure the effective evacuation of refuse.

He further promised that problems of increased robbery attacks in the constituency would also be tackled as he would liaise with the police to encourage the training of watchdog committees in the various communities who will be properly paid to assist the police at night to protect lives and property.

He stressed that security issues must not be solely left in the hands of the security agencies and that all stakeholders must be actively involved.

On unemployment, the PPP candidate regretted that even though Tema was an industrial hub, unemployment among the youth had increased.

Mr. Okyere said it was part of his vision to establish job centers to train young people and find job opportunities in the various companies for them as well as help provide funding for small scale businesses in the constituency.

The 33-year-old businessman promised to provide responsive leadership which will involve all the people in decision making and development of the constituency.

He said as a young man, he had initiated the "Igwe cup tournament" in the constituency, founded the Xclusive keep fit club which engaged in clean-up exercises in the communities as well as set up the Bench Mark Foundation, a non-governmental organization engaged in promoting good health.