By Samira Larbie
Accra, Aug. 02, GNA- Some residents of Gbegbeyise Dansoman Beach in the Ablekuma West constituency have called for the immediate completion of the sea defence project as tidal waves keep causing havoc in the area.
The two-kilometre Dansoman Sea Defence project started from Pambros to Opetekwe but stalled along the way leaving out Gbegbeyise, Glefe and Shiabu.
Nii Lantey Ashong, a fisherman and resident of Dansoman Beach, in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency, lamented how tidal waves had wrecked part of his building due to the stalling of the project for three years.
He said the neglect of the project would affect the vote of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December polls because it was affecting many people.
Mr Samuel Okoe, a drinking bar operator at the Beach, also lamented how tidal waves had affected his once booming business.
Meanwhile, Mr Francis Ohene, an unemployed graduate and resident, said “I am still not certain who to vote for in this year’s election. Probably waiting for the manifestos.”
Master Mohammed Odartey, a first-time voter, though excited about having acquired a Voters ID Card, said he would not vote come December 7, because he was not sure any of the two major parties could fix the country’s problems.
Mr Wilberforce Alonyeku Mensah, the Gbegbeyise and Glefe Assemblyman, said the Constituency had seen some development over the period, despite the enormous challenges.
He said sanitation issues had been addressed with clean-up exercises every month, including the dredging of the Densu Lagoon.
Mr Mensah, while recounting the number of projects, said the dredging and construction of drains from Glefe to Shiabu had solved the age-long challenge of flooding in the Constituency.
On the Sea Defence Project, he blamed the delay on fishers who objected to the construction because they wanted a landing beach.
Traders at the Dansoman Market in an earlier interaction also called for security at the market.
The Ablekuma West Constituency is one of the strongholds of the ruling NPP in the Greater Accra Region.
It is one of the 45 newly created constituencies in 2012.
It was previously part of Ablekuma South Constituency.
Since its creation, the NPP has been the dominant Party and won all three parliamentary elections.
In 2012, the incumbent MP, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekufful, who was the NPP’s Parliamentary Candidate, emerged as the winner in that election.
She polled 36,975 votes, representing 58.22 per cent while the National Democratic Congress’s Candidate, Victoria Hammah, polled 26, 153 representing 41.18 per cent votes.
The Progressive Peoples Party, People’s National Congress and the National Democratic Party garnered 291, 55, and 40 votes, respectively.
In 2016, Mrs Owusu-Ekufful won again with 34,376 votes representing 56.96 per cent against the NDC’s Candidate, Diana Twum, who polled 20,976 votes representing 34.76 per cent.
In 2020, Mrs Owusu-Ekufful, for the third time, polled 37,363 votes representing 54.27 per cent, with the NDC’s Reverend Kwaku Addo polling 30,733 votes, representing 44.64 per cent.
With the NDC appearing to be closing the gap in the last election, some political watchers are of the view that the 2024 parliamentary election in the Constituency could stretch the NPP.
Some supporters of the NDC said they were working day and night and hopeful to win the seat for the first time.
Meanwhile, their counterparts, NPP faithful, also said the Ablekuma West Constituency seat would remain a safe seat for the NPP.
Political activities are gradually picking up in the Constituency ahead of the polls in December.
Scores of people the GNA spoke to seemed undecided on their choices, with a few saying they would not vote.
GNA
