<<Print>>

The Central Region continues to enjoy an appreciable infrastructural upgrade under the Mahama-led administration. The last few years has seen this development agenda nursed and shaped by persons who represent the government at the local level. One of such individuals is Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, who is also Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South. Ricketts has and continues to lead an agenda built on the need to give his constituency and the region a facelift. In what has so far been hailed as a forward-looking progressive effort, he has led several cutting-edge projects. While some were government projects that received his championing efforts and backing, others were solely financed by him. At the very heart of Ricketts-Hagan�s effort, is compassion, his constituents say. Recently, while submitting his forms to contest the 2016 seat of the Party in the constituency, he paid some 2000 cedis in surgery bills for an ailing man. That singular act of kindness is just a tiny fraction of a bigger plan to ensure at all times the region wins in terms of visible developmental projects. Four major roundabouts, 17 completed sheds for the fisher folks with 13 more under construction lead the projects he�s worked on. Ricketts-Hagan�s efforts at ensuring that a new Kotokraba Market is built for the chiefs and people, has translated into the speeding up of works to about almost 80%. Recently he was part of the team that led the Vice President to inspect works on the Cape Coast Stadium, which is some 90 percent done, with a planned official opening date slated for December. Adding to these, is an ongoing registration of 10,000 people onto the National Health Insurance Scheme, as well as a pension and welfare scheme for fishermen, footballers, taxi drivers and market women. Education, which the region has for years been hailed as having the best schools, is also receiving support from Ricketts-Hagan. A designated school bus, donated by Ricketts-Hagan pick students to and from their various institutions. This is done with his usual donations of educational items to students. Recently, he donated pencils, mathematical sets and pens to some 2000 students who took part in the BECE. Every year, students get scholarship aid to attend school through Ricketts-Hagan�s efforts while some 75 to 100 people receive ICT training every three month. On health, Ricketts has financed a hospital ward which is being constructed at Adisadel. He has also set up a microfinance company called Kotokraba Microfinance Ltd to cater for the credit and debit needs of the local market women. Near and future to Ricketts-Hagan�s dream of building a self-sufficient constituency is a garment and shoe factory, with work beginning soon. In the past, he�s worked on water projects to make available portable and clean drinking water to the chiefs and people. All these, he hopes to complement by pushing for work to be completed on a 25 kilometre road in the Cape Coast township. Cape Coast South will for years see unrivalled growth thanks in part to Ricketts-Hagan�s resolve to nurture both his personal ambitions and that which he has for the constituency and the region at large.