Love letter to all 5 Members of Parliament in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis – “We will monitor you like CCTV”

• Posted on December 24, 2020December 24, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

As tomorrow ushers the world into another celebration of Christmas, it won’t take a Prophet to reveal that the homes of the five (5) Members of Parliament in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly are inundated with their constituents. They are likely to receive twice the number of visitors today.

Most of them are there in the guise of post-election celebration, some are also there for money to pay medical bills and also, another set is there for their annual Christmas bag of rice, cooking oil and canned mackerel.

The year 2020 did not only shock the waves of the world with the coronavirus pandemic, it also demonstrated to politicians how discerning the Ghanaian voter is.

Hitherto, a political party like the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would go to bed snoring when the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis is mentioned politically. A funny statement is made that in the Metropolis, even if a goat is decorated with NPP colours and put on the ballot paper, it will win. An indication that the NPPP has firm grounds in that Metropolis.

The 2020 December polls has made political observers review that popular ‘goat-axiom.’ For a constituency like Essikado-Ketan, Hon. Joe Ghartey who is the Minister for Railway Development sweated blood to win for this time. One of the seats that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was confident of snatching in the Metropolis was the Essikado-Ketan seat. Their Candidate, Dr. Grace Ayensu did not disappoint them at all. She was even projected by the NDC in their ‘pre-electoral ejaculation’ celebration that they have won that seat since the dynamics were in their favour. Many political observers even advise that, the Railway Minister would be heavily embarrassed if he attempts another term.

For a constituency like the Takoradi Constituency, the NDC has not been able to match the MP who doubles as the Western Regional Minister with a solid Candidate. Amongst NDC’s Candidate in the Metropolis, the Takoradi Constituency’s Candidate, Lawyer Faidoo disappointed them in terms of campaigning and selling his message. Many people on social media even asked if the NDC filed a Candidate for Takoradi Constituency. Even though this has made the Takoradi Constituency a safe haven for the NPP and Hon. Dr. Okyere Darko Mensah, the incumbent MP campaigned like he is in opposition. The results of the elections in Takoradi Constituency is not exciting as it used to be. Typical of the constituency, the NPP Candidate always garner more votes than their Presidential Candidate but this year, the NPP’s Presidential Candidate did better than the MP. The skirt and blouse voting pattern had a good body shape to fit in there.

The Effia Contituency is also another constituency which has been NPP’s water bed. Since the gerrymandering of the Effia-Kwesimintsim into Effia and Kwesimintsim Constituencies, the NDC has never made inroads in those two. This year, the Effia Constituency, heavily represented by the Deputy Energy Minister Hon. Joseph Cudjoe did not have a ride in the park. Michael Otoo, who has never been successful in any political contest with the MP shocked a lot of people with the votes he garnered. Michael Otoo, many say is the best bet of the NDC in the constituency whilst other’s also mention that a lot of the incumbent MP’s supporters did not go out to vote in this year’s election that is why he did not impress in the election. At Effia too, the NPP Presidentail Candidate did better than the Parliamentary Candidate, another skirt and blouse voting pattern there.

The Kwesimintsim Constituency had an interesting contest. Both NPP and NDC filed new candidates. The two, Dr. Prince Armah and Lawyer Fiifi Buckman did not leave any stone unturned. Kwesimintsim Constituency became the political theatre of the Metropolis. One political fanatic mentioned that whoever wins in Kwesiministim is to the grave benefit of the constituency than to any political party. The meaning is that, from the résumé of the two candidates, they are all impressive personalities to represent the noble constituency. Like his predecessor, Dr. Armah is cautioned to recite the popular Akan parlance “the person who wants to have a fair idea of death should observe someone sleeping.”

Lawyer Fiifi Buckman is so far NDC’s John the Baptist in Kwesimintsim Constituency. He garnered votes no NDC Candidate has ever gotten in the constituency. Many even projected him to win the seat upon several dynamics but the political submariner Dr. Armah flawed Lawyer Buckman. Even though Dr. Armah won the parliamentary race, the NPP’s Presidential Candidate did better than him, another skirt and blouse voting pattern in the constituency.

The Sekondi Constituency was a no competition for NPP’s Hon. Andrew Egyapa Mercer. For the optics, NDC’s Mr. Charles Hagan appeared to have a secret plan to unseat Hon. Mercer. Mr. Hagan after the votes were counted appeared to be counting the air. Hon. Mercer won the seat but there too, the NPP Presidential Candidate did better than him.

This is to inform the MPs who have had a renewed mandate in the Metropolis and the first timer Dr. Armah that, the four year mandate is not eternal, it runs faster than a senior high school marathon race.

The days of being nonchalant as a Member of Parliament is over. The electorate has more expectations than before. With their highfalutin titles and winnable CVs, it should reflect in the constituencies they administer.

The budding entrepreneurs and great talents need support system that would make them competitive and scale up their businesses and talents; the market women need a decent place to sell food stuffs to your electorates; the first time voter who voted for you in this election is looking forward to decent employment and job opportunities; the youth in the slums are hoping for policies that will make them plan a future in Ghana and not think about stowing away when the next vessel docks at the harbour and the 81 year old electorate who probably voted for you for the last time in her life casted the vote with the expectation that her grandson will have a better future.

Merry Christmas and better governance to all the 5 MPs elect in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis – Dr. Prince Armah, Hon. Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah, Hon. Joe Ghartey, Hon. Andrew Mercer and Hon. Joseph Cudjoe.

Author: Nana Kwesi Coomson (www.233times.net) @nkcoomson on Twitter/Instagram