Two female contestants vow to wrest parliamentary seats

Ms Afua Ansaa Asiedu, the only woman contesting the Obuasi West Constituency seat in the December 7 parliamentary election, on the ticket of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), is determined to win the seat in the upcoming elections.

Currently the Manager of Coconut Groove Hotel, Obuasi, Ms Ansaa Asiedu is contesting the elections with Mr John Alexander Ackon of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Kwaku Kwarteng of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Kwame Dabie Bandoh of the Convention People's Party (CPP).

Business promotion

She is poised to turn the wheel of fortunes of the people around, particularly in the area of trade and industry, considering that Obuasi is a mining area. She also intends to create a women's club to unite all the women and provide a common platform for them to network for the promotion of business.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview, Ms Ansaa Asiedu said there was the need to also focus on business ventures, which will lead to job creation, and work to advance the course of the PPP’s free compulsory basic education policy.

She explained that the party’s commitment to pursue an accelerated industrial policy to give hope to market women and small-scale miners in Obuasi was far advanced and so when she becomes the MP, she would develop an economic scheme on job creation for the people of Obuasi to improve the living conditions of the people.

Presentation of food items

In another development, Ms Ansaa Asiedu has presented a number of food items and a quantity of sachet and bottled water, valued at GH¢5, 000, to the Obuasi Local Prison, to support the feeding of the inmates.

At a presentation ceremony at Obuasi, the parliamentary candidate said, she had personally supported development in the area and the presentation to the prisons was a demonstration of what she could do for the constituency when voted to be  the Member of Parliament.

She said PPP and its Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom had always supported national development, and the attempt to resource the prison was in line with the party’s policy of development.

The Officer in charge of the Obuasi Local Prison, Deputy Director of Prison, Ernest Asante Adofo, expressed thanks to the parliamentary candidate for the support and expressed optimism that she would continue to offer similar assistance in future.

Francisca

Ms Francisca Oteng Mensah is the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Kwabre East. She is contesting the seat with Mr Adams Iddisah of the NDC, Mrs Grace Affram of the PPP and Mr Robert Kyei of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Ms Oteng Mensah said she was ready to increase the number of beneficiaries of an educational scholarship scheme being implemented by the incumbent MP, Mr Kofi Frimpong.

Apart from education, she said she was determined to source funding for the people who are predominantly farmers.

Investors

She also intends to look for investors for the Kente industry and promote the business. She said she had begun talking with the traditional authorities and operators in the industry in this regard.

According to Ms Oteng Mensah, that would eventually dovetail with the “one district, one factory” policy on trade and industry of the flag bearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Presentation to health facilities

In another development, Ms Oteng Mensah has presented a number of medical equipment to three health facilities in the constituency as part of plans to resource the facilities.

The three health facilities are the Mampongteng Health Centre, Asonomaso Government Hospital and St. Joseph Clinic.

The equipment, mainly drugs for psychiatry, antibiotics and hypertension, are valued at US $50,000.00, which are to be shared to needy patients free of charge.

At separate presentation ceremonies at Mampongteng, Asonomaso and Abira respectively, the parliamentary candidate, who was accompanied by a number constituency executive of the NPP, reiterated her commitment to the healthcare needs of the people.

She said her party, the NPP, was committed to the health needs of the people, and pointed out that she would not relent in her efforts to support national development by way of resourcing needy individuals and institutions.

The Medical Superintendent of the Asonomaso Government Hospital, Dr Imrana Mahama on behalf of the three beneficiary health facilities expressed gratitude to the aspiring MP and mentioned encroachment on the hospital's land,  lack of ambulance, lack of incubators infrastructural under-development as some of the challenges confronting the Asonomaso District Hospital, which needed critical attention.