<<Print>>

RECENT HAPPENINGS in the Ketu South Constituency of the Volta region seem to suggest that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is making significant inroads in its quest to minimize the dominance of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the area. Over the years, the constituency has recorded the highest number of votes for the NDC in the Volta region and the country at large. This has earned the region the exclusive right to be referred to as the party�s stronghold or better still its �World Bank,� with the Ketu South constituency as the �World Bank Headquarters.� In recent times there have been mass defections of NDC faithful in the constituency to the fold of the NPP in spite of the huge support the NDC continues to enjoy in the area coupled with the view of many political analysts that it would be difficult for the NPP to dominate in the region. The main opposition party in Ghana however seems unperturbed by this pronouncement and has vowed to take over the Ketu South constituency by December 2012 when the next general elections will take place. The NPP leadership in the constituency has declared that the party will come up with a strategy to woo NDC supporters and floating voters in the area to the party in an attempt to take over the �headquarters� and eventually transform the region from an NDC �World Bank� to NDC �Rural Bank� by 2012. This was made known at Aflao during the inauguration of the NPP youth wing in the constituency. The occasion was also used to outdoor over 350 new members of the party believed to have defected from the ruling NDC about a month ago. The inauguration which was held at Makavo Hotel in Aflao was preceded by a health walk through the principal streets of the town and other surrounding areas which a large crowd of NPP members participated in to signify their readiness to unseat the NDC in the area. NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the area, Godwin Yayra Nkwawu said the NDC has nothing to show in the region or Ketu South despite the fact that they have been tagged the party�s World Bank. He added that there is only one explanation for this development-�the NDC is taking the region for a ride and playing on the intelligence of the people of the Volta region.� Mr. Nkwawu noted that the inauguration of the party�s youth wing will go a long way to improve the effectiveness of the NPP�s campaign in the constituency. Describing the area as an �untapped gold mine� for the NPP, the aspiring MP stressed that with innovation and adequate resource mobilization, he will lead a strategy to convert members of the NDC in the area to the NPP and attract floating voters. He hoped that these moves will eventually cause the NPP dominate the constituency by 2012. The youth wing�s Constituency President, Petit Haligah explained that the youth group is part of the NPP�s core structure aimed at mobilizing young people to play significant roles in the party�s activities, particularly Nana Akufo-Addo�s 2012 campaign. He said the Ketu South youth wing is poised for action and that its major priority is to proclaim the good legacy and intensions of the NPP in the constituency. One of the defectors, Kingsley Kutin, a former leading member of the ruling party in the constituency said after two and a half years in power, the NDC has proved that it lacks the political will, foresight and creativity to implement and continue with the good policies, programmes and projects started by the erstwhile NPP government, let alone initiate new ones. He said this had resulted in dwindling standards with regards to the National Health Insurance Scheme, National Youth Employment Programme and the School Feeding Programme among many others. Another example is the Denu-Aflao road project which he said is �marking time� ever since the NPP left office. �All these and many other developments across the country should only tell you that the NDC is not intelligent,� he added. From Fred Duodu, Aflao