The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Abubakari Mohammed Sana Abdul-Kudus, has criticised the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration for what he described as a lack of meaningful development in the North East Region, despite it being the home region of former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
He said the region had witnessed more development within the two years of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration than it did throughout the eight years of the NPP government.
He cited the government's Big Push infrastructure programme, investments in education, particularly school projects, and the appointment of several people from the region to key government positions as evidence of the NDC administration's commitment to the development of the area.
In an interview with GraphicOnline on the sidelines of the NDC regional executive election in Nalerigu, Mr Abdul-Kudus, who is the North East Regional Youth Organiser of the NDC, urged residents and party supporters not to be swayed by criticisms of the government's performance, saying they were better placed to assess the impact of development interventions because they lived in the communities.
"Let nobody deceive you that we have not done well. If they say we've not done well, ask them what did they do, because we are in communities and we know what have gone into those communities," he said.
He said the government was making efforts to improve the livelihoods of residents and called on party members to support the President's development agenda.
"We are in communities, we know the people who have been developed in those communities. So I will say that let's be proud of ourselves, let's be proud of our government, His Excellency the President doing everything possible to ensure that he alleviates a lot of people from poverty. So all of us, we have to support him," he added.
Party leadership
Beyond the government's development record, Mr Abdul-Kudus urged delegates to elect regional executives who had the capacity, commitment and leadership qualities to strengthen the party and improve its electoral performance.
He said the choice of leaders was particularly important to the party's efforts to consolidate its support base and win more parliamentary seats in the region.
"Look at them and elect people who can better serve this party. That's the most important thing. Elect those who can better serve this party. That's what we want," he said.
He assured the delegates that government appointees in the region would collaborate with the newly elected executives to strengthen the party's structures and improve its electoral fortunes.
Mr Abdul-Kudus said the collective efforts of the party's leadership and government appointees were necessary to change the region's current parliamentary representation, which is evenly split between the NDC and the NPP.
"When you elect those who can serve this party, together we, the appointees, will support them to make sure that we will turn the region from three-three to either five-one or four-two," he stated.
A total of 226 delegates are expected to cast their votes for 50 aspirants in the various regional executive positions.
