Why Ejura cannot afford to lose Hon. Bawah Braimah now

Political leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of people to influence and guide followers or members of an organization, society or team towards positive development in their collective and individual lives.

Every political leader must be useful to their society or constituents. Political leaders without impact are not worthy of support.

I have seen Hon. Muhammed Bawah Braimah, the Member of Parliament for the Ejura-Sekyeredumase constituency on a number of occasions, each time I am in Ejura; I have never had any personal interactions with him whatsoever.

However, I have admired his immense contributions to the development of Ejura Township and the surrounding communities since he presented himself to serve the people of Ejura in diverse capacities over the years.

I can vouch for his sterling leadership traits, lobbying skills and his unflinching love and concern for the people of the Ejura constituency; this is based on the developmental projects he contributed to achieve for the constituency when he was the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) between 2013 and 2016 when his party the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in power.

Ever since he burst onto the political scene, he has gone on to become arguably the most influential political figure from the constituency.

The massive infrastructural developments that were witnessed in the Ejura constituency in areas such as the Ejura Township, Barbaso, Droman Kuma, Kesei, Sekyeredumase, and other surrounding communities could not have been possible without the efforts of Hon. Bawah.

Between 2009 and 2016, the infrastructural development witnessed in the Ejura constituency cannot be matched by any other constituency in the Ashanti region apart from the Asawase Constituency.

Consequently, both have often been used by other constituents in the region as a yardstick to judge the performances of their own members of parliament. However, since the NPP won the 2016 general elections, developments in the Ejura-Sekyeredumase constituency have come to a standstill due to the vindictive and divisive nature of President Akufo-Addo.

Even constituencies that are historically NPP’s strongholds are struggling for developmental projects under the current Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government.

Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has been the Member of Parliament for the Suame constituency since 1996. However, infrastructural developments in the constituency remain one of the poorest in the Ashanti region, no wonder he was recently booed by his constituents.

Manhyia South and North and Subin constituencies, all in the Ashanti region have seen little or no developmental projects under this President Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government. Kwabre East and West have the most deplorable roads in the region.

However, between 2013 and 2016, the Ejura constituency has witnessed immeasurable developmental projects, all due to the leadership of Hon. Bawah Braimah; his ability to lobby is perfect, and he has a great working relationship with former President John Dramani Mahama is his weapon which he will use to bring more projects to the Ejura Constituency after 2024 if the NDC wins the elections and he is retained.

Hon. Bawah’s lobbying skills and influence led to the realisation of the Ejura township roads, expansion of the Ejura Hospital, and expansion of dormitories at the Ejura Anglican Secondary School among other social amenities that compelled the constituents to give him the moniker of Adwuma wura when he was the MCE.

Love him or loathe him, Hon. Bawah remains the best choice for the people of Ejura-Sekyeredumase in the upcoming 2024 general elections, under the next NDC government, he will use his immense influence to lobby for massive development into the constituency as he did when he was the MCE. Each time I’m in Ghana, driving through the constituency is safe either day or night, because of the quality nature of the roads and the street lights.

As we heard into the 2024 general elections, with all indicators pointing towards the victory of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, it will be suicidal for the people of Ejura-Sekyeredumase to vote against Hon. Bawah Braimah and bring in a novice at this point.

At this crucial moment, it will be counterproductive to replace an astute, experienced and influential politician as Hon. Bawah who is currently serving as a member of the Public Accounts Committee and the Defence and Interior Committees, with the NPP’s candidate who will only be an obscured backbencher.

She will have completely less or no influence even in the highly unlikely event that the NPP wins the elections (perish the thought) because even experienced and influential NPP MPs in the Ashanti region have not been able to bring any meaningful developmental projects to their constituencies, needless to talk of a novice. That will be a massive setback, because, with his nexus at the zenith echelon of the next government, Ejura will see a repeat of the developments it enjoyed between 2013 and 2016 if Hon. Bawah is retained.

The development of the Ejura Sekyeredumase Constituency came to reality due to the efforts of the NDC, it was the NDC that gave the constituency its first ever Secondary School, two in total, the NDC gave the constituency electricity in the early 1990s, pipe-born water, asphalted roads and the rural electrification projects.

I therefore crave the indulgence of the good people of the Ejura-Sekyeredumase constituency to vote massively for H.E. John Dramani Mahama and Hon. Muhammed Bawah Braimah, the “Adwuma Wura” on 7th December 2024 for more developmental projects, because one good turn deserves another.