2016 elections alarm bells; Afram Plains Abandons Mahama

About 117 communities in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District of the Eastern Region, a stronghold of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), have vowed not to vote for the party if their needs and concerns are not addressed by the government before the 2016 elections.

The communities which constitute the so-called Dwarf Islands (the landmass is actually a peninsular) on the Volta River, and nearby settlements like Bruben, said they have been voting massively for the NDC since 1992.

But they complained that they have been neglected by the various NDC governments.

Some chiefs, opinion leaders and randomly selected people in the communities told Public Agenda during a three-day fact-finding visit in October that they lack basic infrastructure like roads, safe drinking water, school buildings, electricity, markets, health centres and hospitals.

Public Agenda's visit started from Bruben through Simonkope, Havekope, Tublukope, Galilia, Nyakuikpe and Kpatalidzakope to Kpatsakope-Gemeni, Senafukope and Cedikope.

The other concern of the communities is the arbitrarily and discriminatory location of the proposed Community Senior High School (SHS) for the district in Mem-Chemfre, the village of the District Chief Executive, Mr Windham Emil Afram, which is very far away from the island communities and surrounding villages.

They have, therefore, decided to boycott the SHS in Mem-Chemfre.

To protect the interest of the communities against what they alleged was the selfish ambitions of the Mr Afram, the communities have sued the district assembly and the DCE in the Koforidua High Court to avert the situation of the SHS in Mem-Chemfre.

Mr Yaw Barimah, a known New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawyer of Afisem Chambers, a Koforidua-based law firm, represents the communities in court.

At Bruben, Innes Joshua Kwao, a former assemblyman, said the community needed a good road from the Donkorkrom, the district capital, to the area, commercial and cattle markets, pipe-borne water and a health centre, instead of the existing clinic.

At Simonkope, Togbe Agborya, the headman of the village, said there were no school, clinic, electricity and clean water for the people.

“All our children attend school at Pesika, which is very far away from here. The little money we get we spend on feeding the children who live in other places to attend school. We have been voting for the NDC, but we don't have any amenities. Not even a borehole or solar light,” he said.

At Havekope, Togbe Havor II, the chief of the area, told this paper: “The DCE does not respect us in the islands. The NDC government has neglected us too. So we will advise ourselves in 2016.”

The Queenmother of the village, Mama Dokua II, stated: “If the NDC does not provide us with any facilities, the constituency party executives should not come here and ask for our votes in 2016. If they do, we will beat them up.”

A resident, Derrick Akplovi, said the Junior High School does not have enough teachers, and the government should do something about it.

At Tublukope and Galilia, the people expressed dissatisfaction with the NDC because they felt abandoned after voting for the party.

At Kpatsakope-Gemeni, Samuel Agorme, the headman, said: “We don't have a school building. No desks and office for the teachers. We need solar light, premix fuel and a road.”

At Nyakuikpe, Torgbe Hoya Hortsoe II, the headman, said: “We prefer the government to open up the place with a road. We need electricity and good drinking water. Now, we get our drinking water from the Volta River, which is not safe.”

He continued: “From 1992 till now, we have been voting for NDC. But NDC has neglected our area. So I will organise a meeting before the 2016 elections and tell the people not to vote for NDC anymore because they have fooled us for a long time.”

At Kpatalidzakope, John Alorse, a fisherman, revealed that the primary school has only two teachers. “Government should provide road, premix station, electricity and adequate teachers for the schools,” Alorse said.

Patience Alorsi, a trader-cum-farmer, asked the district assembly to set up rural enterprises for women.

“No borehole in the whole islands. Because of Rawlings, we voted for the NDC. But this time we will not vote for the NDC again. Though we don't like NPP, that party built our primary school under DCE Anokye,” Patience added.