NPP to Pluck Six Volta Seats

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) basking in the relatively narrow, but sweet electoral victory it chalked in the recent Wulensi bye-election says it has the capacity to break new grounds and is sure of capturing at least six parliamentary seats in the Volta region, come the next general elections. It has therefore called on its members to brace up for the final onslaught, which is 20 months away.

The party's determination was showcased by the regional secretary, Mr. Kwame Attah, in two separate interviews with Chronicle at Ho recently.

Firing the first salvo this year after the political ceasefire the region has been enjoying in recent months, Mr. Attah said strategies had been put in place to break the myth surrounding the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its indormitability in the region, saying "we will prove to the whole world that the NDC is not an Ewe party.

The highly determined politician went analogical when he explained that by breaking its spinal cord in the region the NDC will either be paralysed or die completely due to inactivity.

"The party has no excuse to give this time around if we fail to deliver the region from the clutches of the NDC and this is why we are leaving no stone unturned in our quest for victory," he stressed. He called on all the chief executives in the 12 districts to team up with the party's constituency executives to embark on outreach programmes to explain the numerous achievements and policies of the government to the people to help win more members to their side.

The regional secretary, who said it would be unwise to unveil the strategies he would use to pluck the seats he claimed are long ready to be harvested, however disclosed that "four of them are ripe in the northern part of the region". He specifically mentioned Akan constituency in the Kadjebi district as one of them.

Asked to give the anchor of his confidence, he said government's projects throughout the region are living testimonials and hinted that people in the districts are witnessing for the party. He mentioned roads, schools, markets and hospitals as some of those projects.

Mr. Attah further said those taking away credit of the government are merely capitalizing on its liberal policies because it is continuing the projects of the former government.

In a related development birds have whispered to Chronicle that the NPP is seriously grooming Ms Elizabeth Ohene of the Office of the President and Hon. Mawutor Goh, chief executive of Ho district assembly, to stand as candidates for Ho west and Central constituencies.

In a similar vein Chronicle antennae in the Jasikan district have picked signals that the people of Buem are craving for Hon. Kwasi Owusu Yeboah, Volta Regional Minister to represent them in the next parliament.

Even though nominations have not yet began into the race, the regional secretary cautioned that no seats would be made automatic for candidates; neither will personalities be imposed on the electorate. Meanwhile the three have not as yet officially notified him of their interest to run.

Concerning the vulnerable seats in the region it will be recalled that the NDC split its votes in the Akan constituency when it imposed John Kwadwo Agyapong on members, prompting youthful Rashid Bawa to go solo. In the end the independent candidate polled 12, 306 to beat his mother party's man who had 9386. The NPP's Kofi Asiedu Mensah polled a woeful 536 out of 22, 533 valid votes cast.

Incidentally, the NDC breakaway, who won the seat in parliament, is now the deputy Education Minister in the Kuffour government; giving many in the elephant fraternity the confidence to label that area's votes as "aben woaha".

Other constituencies considered to be on slippery grounds include Krachi, Nkwanta, Biakoye, Buem Hohoe North and South and East and West Dayi.