by Eugene Davis
The Member of Parliament for Asokwa constituency, Patricia Appiagyei has promised to “wipe the slate clean” and bring her constituents together after she was retained as parliamentary candidate.
Addressing delegates after her win last Saturday, she stated “We have much more in common than divides us, so we need to get on with the work we have got to do as a party together.”
Asked what steps would take to reconcile her contestants ahead of the 2024 Presidential and parliamentary elections, she said “We must bury our differences and work together as a united front. l extend a heartfelt invitation to all my fellow contestants to collaborate and work together to win convincingly the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections for our great party, NPP.
She polled 485 votes representing 55.17percent, her closest contestant Edmund Kyei had 229, while Dr. Francis Nana Yaw Boakye had 163 votes. More than eight hundred delegates voted in the contest.
Before the primaries, she underscored the critical link between her candidature and sustained development in the area – emphasizing that the ongoing developmental initiatives she has spearheaded can only be effectively continued under her leadership.
She highlighted her multifaceted contributions to her constituents in a recent interview, ranging from fostering financial literacy among young girls to sponsoring female students through university education. Notably, she played a key role in facilitating the construction of roads in the constituency.
To enhance employment opportunities for her constituents, she plans to establish a job center that will provide comprehensive training and address unemployment issues. Additionally, in a bid to promote digitalization within her constituency, she has revamped six computer laboratories and classroom blocks.
So far, she has successfully guided 350 individuals—both men and women—through skills training programs. Some of them have found valuable opportunities in agriculture, while nearly 19 people have gained entry into various security services.
In the realm of infrastructure, she has set a goal to kickstart the construction of inner roads around the Unity Oil enclave by March, aiming to improve accessibility for the community.
The NPP who are the majority in parliament will be losing more than a dozen experienced hands in the ninth parliament and Hon. Appiagyei reiterated the need to retain experienced ones in parliament to consolidate the gains made in the previous parliament.
As the 2024 elections approach, the ruling New Patriotic Party will be seeking retention with its candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, teeing up a contest with former president John Mahama.
The 60-year-old economist and former central banker has served as second-in-command and the face of economic policy throughout the presidency of Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, who is due to step down in January 2025 after serving the constitutionally mandated eight years.
Ghana almost halved its forecast for growth this year amid a sluggish economy, global headwinds, and the impact of fiscal belt-tightening under an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
The West African nation now expects real gross domestic product growth of 1.5% this year, down from 2.8%, Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta told lawmakers in a mid-term budget review.
