Ready to overcome hurdles in parliamentary elections — Benedicta
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for the Lower West Akyem Constituency, Ms Benedicta Naana Ampem, has two hurdles to overcome in the parliamentary election now fixed for December 7.
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Apart from the fact that the Lower West Akyem seat has been one of the safe constituencies for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) since 2000, Ms Ampem, who is contesting the seat for the first time, has to work hard to wrest the seat from Mr Eyiah Kyei-Baffour of the NPP, who won the primary against the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Gifty Klenam.
Despite this, she is sure of capturing the seat, because of what she described as President Mahama’s good governance.
She believes that the good works of President Mahama in the last three-and-half years would encourage the electorate to vote massively for her to initiate the much-needed development in the area and to break the NPP’s hold on the parliamentary seat for the past 16 years.
‘Better Ghana Agenda’
According to the Ms Ampem, the NPP will be defeated in the constituency on December 7, 2016 because of the compelling record and evidence of the achievement of the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ pursued by the Government of the NDC, which has resulted in massive infrastructural development.
Ms Ampem, a businesswoman and the women’s organiser of the constituency, who was also a National Coordinator for “Youth for Mahama” in the 2012 general election, said the people in the area had seen the difference in the John Mahama-led administration and would support her to win the election.
In an interview with the GNA at Asamankese under its “Women’s Platform Initiative” to project the women contesting the parliamentary seat, she mentioned the construction of the Suhum-Asamankese, Asamankese-Kade, Asamankese-Adeiso roads as some of the projects that would speak for the NDC for her to capture the seat.
She added that apart from the good works of the President, which would be the basis for her resounding victory in the election, the motherly role she plays for all women and children in the constituency will ensure her victory.
Championing issues
According to Ms Ampem, her decision to contest the parliamentary seat is in line with her efforts to have a larger platform as the people’s representative to be able to champion issues concerning the economic and social empowerment of women and girls in the area.
She disclosed that she had already instituted a loan facility to support women in petty trading activities to improve the wellbeing of their families, and has since granted loans of an undisclosed amount to over 200 women in the area.
Ms Ampem stated: “I give the loans to all women, irrespective of their background or political affiliation, because I believe that when I am given the nod, I will represent the entire constituency and the people from my part.y”
Providing bursaries
She has also adopted the Osenase Orphanage which cares for over 100 orphans and other vulnerable children by providing bursaries for the education of some of the children and catering for their other needs to ensure that they would grow up to realise their full potential.
Ms Ampem, who beat two male contestants in the constituency primary, is married with four children and has appealed to the people in the constituency, especially women, to look beyond colours and party affiliation and vote massively for her.
The candidate also advised all party supporters not to use violence in the electioneering to ensure peace and unity before, during and after the elections and added that “the leading candidates from the NPP and the NDC demonstrated this by walking for peace recently”.