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There are barely three months until the general elections, which come with the expectation that the campaign of the political parties, especially the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), would gain momentum so that the people feel the fever that characterizes every general election.
Election fever is probably not reaching much in the Volta Region compared to previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, both the PNP and the NDC are working hard on the ground to win the various constituencies in the region.
The Ho Central District remains one of the most populous electoral districts in the Volta region with over 100,000 voters and, like many electoral districts in the region, continues to be strong support for the NDC as it had won all parliamentary seats. since 1992..
This year’s election may follow a similar pattern from previous years with the NDC having firm control of the constituency.
However, what is usually of interest is whether the PNP can surprise by increasing its votes to at least 20% of the total votes cast.
Past performances
Statistics from previous elections showed that PNP candidates had always obtained votes between 8 and 10 percent, while NDC candidates obtained no less than 88 percent.
However, NDC parliamentary candidate Mr. Benjamin Kpodo, who ran for the second time in 2016, lost significant votes of more than 12,000 when he obtained 47,330 votes representing 79.48 percent compared to 60,129 representing. the 88.51 percent that it obtained in 2012..
Similarly, the PNP lost more than 700 votes in 2016 when Ernest Gaewu, as a candidate, obtained 6,031 votes compared to Dr. Yao Archibald Letsa’s votes of 6,758 votes in 2012, representing 10.13% and the 9.95% respectively.
The reduction in votes in 2016 was attributed to the level of apathy, especially against the NDC, which described the Volta region as its strong dominance.
As the elections approach, few posters and billboards of parliamentary candidates and party flags are seen in the viewing points.
This year, the executive director of the Ho Municipal Assembly, Prosper Pi-Bansah, is running as a parliamentary candidate on the PNP list.
Although he is a veteran in the PNP in the region, this is the first time he has achieved political fame as an MCE and parliamentary candidate.
Residents believe that as a native of Ahoe, a division of Ho, Pi-Bansah has a chance to increase his party’s votes in Ho Township, but may not perform well outside of Ho, which turns out to be the strong areas of the incumbent, Mr. Kpodo, a native of Tanyigbe-Anyigbe participating for the third time.
With the sentimental voting pattern that characterized the elections in the Volta region, the PNP parliamentary candidate would have a tough job as a new candidate and could not be too surprising.
Resident opinions
Residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic weren’t really enthusiastic about the PNP’s accomplishments in the constituency, especially when the main concern of youth in the constituency has been unemployment. In addition, they claimed that the regional capital was underdeveloped.
According to them, a major project that could open the capital was the opening of the Ho airport, which had been abandoned by the current government.
The NDC’s achievement in Ho, they claim, remains high with mention of development projects such as the Ho airfield under construction, the Ho market project, the University of Health and Allied Sciences, schools, health facilities and the asphalting of the road Ho before 2016. election.
One resident, Mr. Delali Goka, said that he had not felt much from the PNP regarding development in the regional capital.
“Aside from national policies like school feeding, planting for food and employment, NABCO ongoing in all parts of the country, there hasn’t been much development in Ho.”
He said the only project he saw at Ho was the Sokode-Ho double car and even with that, he complained that it had been unduly delayed. For him, a factory or two could open up the area for development.
Dissenting views also argue that the current government has performed better, especially with its policies that have benefited Ghanaians, and given more opportunities, it would do more.
One of those residents, Mr. Dziedzorm Yevu, said that he was not considering development in Ho alone, but what the government had done for citizens, requiring Ghanaians to give them four more years.
However, he admitted that it would be difficult for the NPP parliamentary candidate to win the seat, but “I can say that he can perform better than his predecessors.”
Candidate objectives
The NPP Ho Central parliamentary candidate, Pi-Bansah, says he will surprise the constituency with his target of 50,000 votes while courting his constituents with policies such as granting credit facilities to market women to expand their businesses, capacity to traditional rulers for mobile resources for the development of their communities, assistance to teachers and nurses in the constituency to promote their education.
Meanwhile, the NDC is raising its target from 80,000 votes in 2016 to 90,000 votes this year with its “Operation All Vote Mantra.”
According to an executive member of the Ho Central Constituency, Mr. Stanley Nelvis Glate, the goal was achievable because people have been disappointed that the government failed to deliver on its promises, especially the $ 1 million per district and the politics of a district and a factory .
‘People wanted a factory and had leaned towards the PNP and, in the case of Ho Central, they had not come out to vote. But where are the factories? I can assure you that this choice is’ Sankofa ‘and therefore the NDC will achieve its goal for the constituency.’
For the other parties in the constituency, such as the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the National Democratic Party (NDP), for now they are only to compensate for the figures, since they are not see a lot or heard from them in constituency .. # GhanaVotes2020 #
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