What is the crime of W/R? —Nduom asks

The presidential candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP)is saddened by what he describes as ‘squalor and abject poverty’ starring the faces of the people in the Western Region.

And in apparent reaction to thatDr. Papa Kwesi Nduom is asking what crime residents in that region have committed to warrant such neglect from past and present governments that have ruledsince the inception of the Fourth Republic.

That observation was made when the PPP flag bearer took hiscampaign activities toAowin, Amenfi West, Amenfi Central and Prestea-Huni-Valley constituencies in the Western Region.

At Aowin, the Nduom-led team made a whistle stop at Enchi. And while travelling on the Tarkwa-Enchi road,hebecame worried at the ‘sordid’ sight of that road that while addressing market women, party faithful(s), members and indigenes of town,he sought from them whether they have wronged any government to be denied their fair share of the national cake.

He asked the same question when he stopped atManso in the Amenfi Central and Prestea-Huni-Valley constituencies respectively.

According to Dr. Nduom, he could not understand why Western Region with all its rich mineral resources and the discovery of oil will be wallowing in poverty.

“…It is regrettable that Western Region with its chunk of mineral resources is still saddled with high unemployment, lack of good roads, poor hygienic and environmental conditions, lack of good schools, deplorable roads, amongst others,” he lamented.

It was along this line that he urged the people to vote out the NDC and the NPP and rather vote for the PPP which has ‘practical solutions’ to the problems confronting the region and the entire nation.

According to Dr. Nduom, it was sad that many of Ghana’s mineral-endowed cities and towns have been left in “squalor and deprivation.”

He cited Obuasi, Akwatia, Nsutem, Tarkwa, Prestea and Bogoso which are mineral-endowed towns, stressing that “even though there are gold and diamond in these areas the indigenes are suffering.”

While lamenting the state of these towns, he made it clear that when entrusted with power a PPP administration under his leadership will re-negotiate with the oil companies in the region to ensure that it[WesternRegion] benefits enormously from the resource.

That, he said, does not mean that a PPP government will ignore the other regions which have no mineral resources.

In the area of job creation, the PPP flag bearer said comparing all the presidential candidates particularly Nana AddoDankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP and President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC he [Dr. Nduom] has the best record.

“…With my Group Nduome companies across the country, I have directly and indirectly created 250,000 jobs for Ghanaians.”

To this end, he urged the people to vote for a president who has demonstrated that he has the wherewithal to create jobs, and that person he said, is him [Dr. Nduom].

Dr. Nduom also used the tour to draw a distinction between his party’s education policy and that of the NPP.

Whilst stating that the NPP’s education policy was ‘elitist’ and will therefore cover a few, Dr. Nduom indicated that “our [PPP’s] education policy is a comprehensive package from the kindergarten to senior high school. And there will be no BECE exams and it will be compulsory and continuous,” he explained.