The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has kickstarted a unique development-focused campaign ahead of the 2024 elections. As part of their strategy, the party is drilling mechanized boreholes in water-scarce communities and rehabilitating poor roads in the areas they visit.
The campaign, currently in the Ejura Sekyere Odumase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, aims to provide 15 mechanized boreholes to alleviate water shortages for over 1,700 residents.
The Ebuom community, home to adults and children, has only two boreholes, forcing school children to climb a rocky hill daily to fetch water, leading to delays in their education.
One community member shared with Kumasi Mail, “Some of us walk long distances to fetch water for domestic and farming activities. The boreholes are few, so we often have to wait in long queues. School children always arrive late because of the water situation.”
The NDC’s Development Campaign team, led by former Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru, responded to the community’s water plight by beginning the drilling of mechanized boreholes on September 18, 2024. Excited by the project, local farmers abandoned their work to witness the drilling, celebrating as water flowed from the first borehole.
Alhaji Muniru explained the campaign’s focus: “This year, we have a strategy dubbed ‘development campaign.’ We’ve realized that some communities are losing faith in the two main political parties because they feel we make promises without delivering basic amenities. Through this initiative, we are providing practical solutions, like feeder roads and mechanized boreholes. Here in Ejura, we plan to drill 15 mechanized boreholes for communities in need, free of charge.”
Residents of the Ebuom community, pleased with the project, shared their reasons for supporting the NDC in the upcoming December 7th elections. One resident, Alima Fatima, remarked, “Water is life, and I will vote for the NDC’s parliamentary candidate and former President John Mahama because they’ve addressed one of our biggest challenges.”
Another resident, Ali Aziz Balanga, added, “I will vote for the NDC because all the major projects here—water, electricity, schools—were built under NDC leadership. The ruling party has done nothing for us, so we will vote against them.”
The incumbent MP, Alhaji Bawa Brimah, dismissed accusations of vote-buying, stating, “How can providing water, a basic necessity, be considered vote-buying? This project is about addressing the needs of my constituents, and I had to lobby within the NDC and other NGOs to make it happen.”
The NDC campaign team has called on the electorate to support them in the upcoming elections, assuring communities that their development needs will remain a priority.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
