Candidates, audience show tolerance at Agotime-Ziope

It was the third time the SYC had organised such a platform for candidates in preparation for national elections.

Starting the discourse, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated that it was her third bid for the parliamentary seat and that during her first tenure as representative of the people, she belonged to the opposition and could not deliver well as compared to the second tenure when in government, adding that the renewal her mandate for the third bid will enable her roll out several projects she had started delivering to the people.

She said the NDC party was a social democratic one that was committed to delivering development on equitable basis to all citizens and also believed in education and transparent and accountable governance.

The NPP candidate, Mr Dzorkpe, said his government would revive the collapsing National Health Insurance Scheme, the water supply system, provide good roads and extend electricity to all communities, regardless of any background.

He said education to the Senior High School level will be made universally free to the advantage of all citizens and would no more be the preserve of only residents of the northern regions and added that he would also lobby for a district hospital.

For his part, the candidate for NDP, Dr Sunu, said the chance should be given to the youth to the take the mantle of leadership in order to reverse the increasing rate of waywardness, claiming that their predecessors had failed the people.

He promised that scholarships would be awarded to the youth and motivating packages would also be instituted for teachers to enhance the education industry in the constituency.

On their track records, Mrs Azumah-Mensah said she had led in securing projects for the education sector, including the distribution of computers in addition to the extension of electricity to many communities.

Mr Dzorkpe said he had been instrumental as the secretary of the Agotime Youth Association, founded the Agotime Senior High School, mobilised the community in harvesting electricity poles for treatment and instituted the Agbamevorza of the people.

Dr Sunu said track records of aspirants should not be measured on what had been achieved with the taxpayers’ money, adding that he had been able to organise free education classes for students and organised Science and Mathematics clubs in schools.

The aspirants also answered questions pertaining to the slow pace of development in the constituency and what they could do if elected, the main functions of Parliament, ways of improving quality of education and what they could do to arrest the high spate of insulting language in campaigns.

Others were strategies for youth employment, stimulating revenue generation in the district assembly, empowerment of the physically challenged and capacity building for district assembly members, among others.

In an address, the President of the SYC, Mr Elvis Amenyitor, said the constituency was getting mature in its democracy and that the club cherished the peace and welfare of the community and called on all to embrace the programmes.

“The town is supreme and therefore should be protected at all times,” he declared.

The two moderators for the function, Mr Elvis Attivoe and Mr George Grandy, commended the people for abiding by the rules of debate and said it was in consonance with the expectations that the elections would be held in a free and fair manner without any animosity.

Story by Tim Dzamboe