Rev Larbie alleged to Citi News that the MP has teamed up with the Ga South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) to demolish the structure because of the political ramifications ahead of the 2016 polls.

“Immediately I started the drain, the incumbent MP came around to stop the contractors but the contractors refused because they said he has not given them any contract,” he said.

According to Rev. Larbie, Mr. Demodzi involved the MCE “and the MCE also came down saying we should stop work but the contractor refused.”

Rev. Larbie said his project involved the construction of a bridge and drain that would be connected to the sea, noting that “they [Demodzi and the MCE] have complained that “the way we are fixing it is not the way they want to do it.”

But he reminded that Mr. Demodzi and the MCE had been around all this while but had not acted on the concerns of the people.

“The people just reported it to me two weeks ago and we have started,” Rev. Larbie stated.

“It is not because it is not to their standard. It is because they know they are NDC and if I do the job, it will be to my credit,” Rev. Larbie added as he also indicated that he would be expecting some compensation if his project was stopped.

“What I am trying to say is they will destroy by bridge, fine. Then they should pay me the money I have spent over the years.”

Residents unhappy with Demodzi

This development has done little to mend the relationship between Mr. Demodzi and the people on the ground.

Reports from the ground indicate that the people of Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfrom are poised to vote against the incumbent MP despite the area being an NDC stronghold.

They have bemoaned the increasing disconnect between the MP and residents.

The residents Citi News who spoke to expressed the anger about the development with one resident saying, “we voted for Bright four years ago and he hasn’t done anything for us. Reverend listened to our plight and he has promised to construct the drain for us. Now that reverend is fulfilling his promise by constructing the drain, bright from nowhere says he will construct this same drain.”

“Whether he constructs the drain or not, we will vote for Reverend Adjetey. The people over here are not happy about what bright is doing.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Parliamentary candidates fight over drains at Kokrobite appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Demodzi instead said he was only undertaking the dredging of that particular area in preparation for the construction of culvert across the drain.

[contextly_sidebar id=”CLMfLh0I35bQdSILGn6O9bg98qnYc5dS”]“Every year we dredge that particular drain. We dredge it every year. It is a routine thing we have been doing every year,” he said in an interview with Citi News.

Mr. Demodzi explained that the drain in question run over a long stretch and he had no problem with Rev. Larbie undertaking any development project, “because if you look at it, it is a long stretch and he also wants to [do some work] but in another stretch. The only thing is that you need to follow the rules.”

He explained further that, “if you have the intention of doing something, you consult the municipal urban roads unit or works department. They will come and make an estimate and give you the right quantity of what you need and based on that, you either award the contract to somebody through the competitive bidder system at the assembly.”

Mr. Demodzi also indicated that he was only following the instruction from the assembly as he said, “anytime you want to do anything at the assembly, in the municipality, you have procedure you have to go through and that is what I did.”

“The advise from the urban engineer was that we need to dredge it before we can do the culvert across it so as we speak now, there is a machine working on the major drain to remove the silt from the drain before we can be able to do that work.”

It should be noted that Rev Larbie also alleged to Citi News that the MP had teamed up with the Ga South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) to demolish the structure because of the political ramifications ahead of the 2016 polls.

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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Bortianor MP denies fighting rival over construction of drains appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The skirt and blouse voting pattern is a situation residents vote for a presidential candidate of one party and MP from a different party sometimes to punish one of the candidates.

The constituency in question is the rural part of Weija and normally a safe seat for the NDC, but complaints of neglect have seen a number of NDC supporters announce the intent to vote out the Mr. Demodzi.

Citi News’ Constituency Watch team visited the area and the NDC’s Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfrom Constituency Organiser, Mawueyram Emmanuel Kojo Asae, explained that the constituency was indeed a sure bet for President John Mahama but hinted that many NDC supporters would be “voting skirt and blouse.”

“For the Presidential, we are not having many challenges convincing people. You don’t even need to tell them what the president has done. On the other side with the parliamentary candidate, that is where we are having some few challenges and difficulties.”

“When you are contesting elections and you don’t have a good relationship with the people, it is very difficult for you to say that you are winning the elections,” Mr. Asae added.

NDC supporters bemoan MP’s low visibility

Citi News’ team also spoke to one Hawa, a known NDC member in the area, and she spoke of the increasing disconnect between the MP and the people in the ground.

“The MP no longer relates with us. Since he won the elections, only a few people around him are enjoying. I voted for him but I have never seen him after voting. The only time I get to see him is on his posters in town.”

“Before I voted for him in 2012, I used to see him around. He used to come here to organise us for his campaign. As for the president, I will vote for him but not the MP. That is the truth.”

Bright’s loss, Rev. Larbie’s gain

Even the coastal areas like Kokrobite, populated with Gas known for their unflinching support for the NDC, have planned to give a cold shoulder to their MP at the polls.

The candidate with the most to gain from the indicated “skirt and blouse” voting pattern will be the Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP) Rev. Fred Nii Adjetey Larbie who contested and lost on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2012.

Joshua Armah, a 40 year resident of the area, spoke of how he used to sit down cordially with the MP in times past but has now been met neglect and failed promises in the past four years.

“He has attempted to fix only one of the many things he promised. We don’t have water. He started a borehole here but it is still not completed,” he lamented.

“We have issues with schools. Our government school is collapsing and our children can’t attend classes in that building anymore. I am a constituency youth organiser at the primary school area, now  I cant go an campaign and tell the people to vote for him.”

Mr. Armah spoke however warmly of the PPP candidate saying, “you have seen our own brother, Rev Adjetey. I have decided Bright has disappointed me so I will vote for Mahama and vote for Adjetey.”

Click on audio to listen to report

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Bortianor PPP candidate to benefit from ‘skirt and blouse’ voting appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.