The zeal of the young generation to contribute to developing the Volta Region is fading out more quickly than I thought. And the politicians most importantly the majority of the NDC MPs over the years in the region are just adamant.

My focus is on them because almost all the MPs from the Volta Region except the MP for the Hohoe constituency is on the ticket of the NDC. For many years now, the MPs from the Volta region have been too comfortable in their seats and only a handful do little for their constituents in terms of development.

Despite they always make gigantic promises during campaign seasons as we will be experiencing in 2024, they more often than not vehemently argue later that it is not their duty to spearhead or undertake developmental projects. Then how come some other MPs in other regions and jurisdictions are doing so well for their people?

We shouldn't argue with them any longer but need to put measures in place to democratically coerce them. Failure of which we shall work in unity to kick them out from within by using their own people even if the other political parties or independent candidates are not able to.

Bluntly put, the Volta Region is cursed with many nonperforming MPs who only fight to retain their seats at the primary level and go back to sleep thereafter. The question is why can’t the many NDC party members who contest these incumbents form a serious second force within the party in every constituency to unseat these nonperforming MPs?

This is not about the usual complaints that we send to parliament to go and make laws and work at committee levels. We need to see our MPs work on the grounds not always telling us stories that we have been hearing since the inception of the fourth republic.

Talking about the second force, there are many sedulous young men and women that when supported can take these incumbent MPs easily. These second forces from within the NDC must start their work early and place their members at strategic executive positions at the polling station levels and convince others to share in their mission.

This mission is not for some of the young men who are “servile” persons who only believe in continuing the failures of some current MPs in the Volta region. Aren’t we tired of being caught like crabs confined in a pot? We have so long sold our past, present, and future to the NDC and they are perpetually seeing us as such.

In fact, a few NPP wins must be registered in the upcoming 2024 elections in the Volta Region. So that most of the NDC MPs can wake up. But this must be based on the competencies and potentials of the people contesting.

The NPP party should set targets for their aspirants in the Volta region so that they can also work hard to wrestle power from the chronically nonperforming NDC MPs. And if the targets are not met, they should be asked to refund any money that the party will spend on their campaigns no matter how counterproductive it may be.

They are also part of the reasons why the NDC MPs are too comfortable in their seats and not taking the Volta Region seriously. Why can’t we deploy the tool of voter apathy to send a serious signal to these people? Why are some other MPs very resourceful, innovative, and bringing development to their people even in opposition but most of our MPs can’t do that and we sit aloof and watch the Volta region sink?

Let us from the 2024 election send some serious messages to these non-performing NDC MPs to wake them up to their duties. Granted, it is our civic duty to exercise our franchise and have to be patriotic, but we have been taken for granted by most of the NDC MPs who care the least about us and our development. In other regions and jurisdictions, we see MPs do great projects like the Joromo NDC MP, Ms Dorcas Affo-Toffey, and others, who are also in opposition.

What at all are the NDC nonperforming MPs from the Volta region doing? I think the lobbying skills of candidates must be a prerequisite for one to contest as an MP. For, national cakes are not dished out but fought for.

It is highly pathetic, how some of the MPs feel entitled that they determine the number of terms they want to be in parliament before leaving the seat. And the others have no other choice than to wait. What kind of democracy is this at the constituencies level in the NDC? It is time to punish them for not working by voting against them or teach them lessons with voter apathy.

This is not about their usual ridiculous songs; “I go to funerals for people, I buy coffins for people, I pay school fees for people”. That is the common fund and you are not doing any favour to anybody by deciding to misuse the common fund for those purposes.

I am talking about serious developmental projects that will bring development and jobs to our people. Why can’t the citizens of the Volta region on a constituency basis organize debates for these candidates who want to represent us in parliament from various political parties?

Let us put some forum together for us to at least know if they can represent us well and put our needs and demands at the national level. Not folding our hands that “half a loaf is better than none”.