Parliamentary aspirants for the Krowor Constituency in the Greater Accra Region have engaged their electorate during a parliamentary debate to sell out their vision for the constituency.

The debate, organised by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) in collaboration with the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), was to highlight policy issues affecting marginalised groups in the constituency, and ensure that the political discourse was ‘issue-based and less personality-driven’.

Mrs Regina Oforiwaa Amanfo, Senior Programme Officer for CDD-Ghana, said the debate was intended to help the electorate to make informed choices at the upcoming polls.

“The debate seeks to provide opportunity for citizens, in particular Persons with Disability (PWDs), Persons Living with HIV and AIDS, youth and women to interact with prospective legislators on issues affecting them”, she said adding that this was to ensure their inclusion and participation in the governance process.

Mrs Amanfo said the debate was also to assist candidates to explain to the electorate, programmes and policies they will adopt for addressing issues recognised in the constituency.

The programme also focused on issues relating to education and labour market mismatch, unemployment, agriculture (fishing), child marriage and child rights protection as well as issues pertaining to the utilisation of the District Assembly and MP’s Common Funds, she said.

The event brought together various candidates including Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the National Democratic Congress; Fanny Amartey, Convention People’s Party; and Hugo Huppenbauer, of the Progressive People’s Party,.

Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, candidate of the New Patriotic Party was however absent for unknown reasons.

In the area of education, the CPP candidate assured electorates of free elementary education and the provision of libraries, while the PPP promised to ensure the effective implementation of the constitutional right to Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education.

The NDC candidate, however, pledged support for any directive geared toward quality pre-school, secondary and tertiary education with particular attention to technical and vocational education in the constituency.

For youth unemployment, candidates’ responses generally cut across career orientation and job creation for both skilled and non-skilled youth, investments in master craftsmanship, creation of youth centres and encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth.

Moderators for the programme included Reverend Fred Degbe, former Chairman of the National Peace Council, Lucille Hewlette Annan, Greater Accra Regional Chairperson of the NCCE and Dela Sky of City FM.

The debate, which took place at Nungua in Accra, was attended by the Ghana Federation of the Disabled, Network of People living with HIV and some members of the constituency.

The constituency debate for parliamentary candidates is being organised in 60 selected constituencies and it is being run concurrently in all ten regions across the country with support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa and the Ghana Oil and Gas for Inclusive Growth.