Race for Atiwa West seat - IIt’s Atta & Atta affair.

Mr Atta Twum again contested the seat with Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta of the NPP in a bye-election in 2010 to replace Mr Ankama, who passed away, but he lost.

He obtained 6,500 votes, as against Mr Amoako Atta’s over 20,000.

Ironically, both men who are friends and known as “Atta ne Atta”, to wit, Atta and Atta, because they bear the same name, are again contesting the constituency seat, counting on their contribution to the development of the area which they think can contribute to their victory.

Mr Atta Twum, a human resource specialist and currently the District Chief Executive for the Atiwa District, has through the assembly made significant contributions to the communities in terms of the provision of social amenities, making judicious use of the assembly’s financial resources. Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, a legal practitioner, has also ensured that his share of the common fund is used solely for the benefit of the people.

Mr Atta Twum is credited with the initiation and provision of over 50 social amenities that are evenly spread in the entire district.

They include modern classroom blocks, CHPS compounds (mini clinics) in many communities, especially the rural ones, district library/ITC at Kwabeng, the district capital, and a vocational school at Anyinam, the commercial centre of the district.

Others are rural housing projects at Moseaso and Tumfa, a modern market at Ekorso, out-patient department for the Engiresi Government Hospital, a medical block for the Kwabeng Health Centre, Anyinam slaughter house and boreholes in many communities.

The incumbent MP who is also development-oriented has judiciously utilised his share of the common fund and other funds he solicited from donors to provide a lot of social amenities in most parts of the district.

They are made up of a CHPS compound at Adasawase, and the completion of another one which was started by the people of Asaman Tamfoe at a cost of GH¢40,000, an out-patient department for the Anyinam Health Centre and a laboratory for the Engiresi Government Hospital.

The MP is also helping the people of Tumfa to complete a health centre at a cost of GH¢60,000 and also helping to construct a12-seater KVIP at Akrofufu.

In the educational sector, the MP is currently assisting to complete a GH¢10,000 six-classroom block at Moseaso which is 80 per cent complete, a mechanised water system for the Kwabeng Senior Technical SHS and a modern school block at Nanapa, a remote village where the pupils attended classes under trees.

He has also facilitated the supply of books from the Tema Rotary Club to the Kwabeng and Sekyere senior high schools and distributed streetlights and bulbs to numerous communities.

Mr Amoako Atta has also registered six football clubs, provided jerseys and footballs at a cost of GH¢20,000 to the clubs which he registered to compete in national events within the past two years as MP.

Considering the performances of the two friends, it is going to be a keen and peaceful contes unlike the recent bye-election which was marred with violence.

This is because the two men have been visiting each other during the current campaign to fraternise and drum home the need for peaceful elections.

At the assembly’s meeting on November 29, 2012, both men asked the assembly members to ensure that the people in their electoral areas do not do anything that would mar the beauty of the election and have even decided to organise a joint Christmas party no matter the outcome of the elections.

“We are friends who almost do everything together so why should our supporters fight among themselves?” Mr Amoako Atta asked to the admiration of Mr Atta Twum who also reciprocated by saying, “we are twin brothers from the political divide so you have to decide in a peaceful manner who should be the MP.”

The performances of the NDC and the NPP in general, and Mr Atta Twum and Mr Amoako Atta in particular, make it difficult to know the eventual winner.

This is because both men have played their role in providing social amenities and other poverty alleviation initiatives which have won the confidence of the people.

Analysis by A. Kofoya-Tetteh