Leaders of the Sekondi-Takoradi Deserves Better demonstration have called on the Western Region Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, not to be blinded by power.
Concerned residents of Sekondi Takoradi on Friday, October 27 staged a demonstration dubbed ‘Sekondi Takoradi Deserves Better’.
They are demanding authorities to fix some challenges in the Sekondi Takoradi metropolis.
Some of these challenges include poor road infrastructure, job scarcity, high cost of living, abandoned projects, the sorry state of the Essipon Sports Stadium and the Centre for National Culture, among others.
They believe the Region has been neglected by various governments and as such the time has come for the masses to rise.
The protesters refused to hand over their petition to other officers at the Regional Coordinating Council after the regional minister failed to show up.
Later in the day, the regional minister granted interviews to some media houses and described the protest as a fiasco.
According to him, the majority of residents in the Twin City are happy with the level of development under the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He also described the demonstrators as National Democratic Congress (NDC) members who have refused to see anything right with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
But the protesters in a media release reminded the minister of his past.
“The assertion that 90 percent of the demonstrators were NDC members is far from the truth and must be debunked. These demonstrators were fellow citizens who believed in a brighter future for Sekondi-Takoradi, and they still stand by their call for authorities to prioritize development, regardless of their political affiliations,” they said.
“We are compelled to remind the Honorable Regional Minister of his past, not so long ago when he was an aspiring MP. At that time, he sought the support of every citizen, striving to win their votes. It is our sincere hope that the intoxication of power has not blinded him to the needs of his constituents. Power is transient, and he is urged to reflect on his actions and the missed opportunities for development in our Metropolis and region. As a leader, he has failed to respect the voices and concerns of the people, but we want to assure him that this is just the beginning,” portions of the release indicated.
They believe the regional minister is intentionally shifting the narrative to suit his own agenda at the expense of the development of the region.
“We are aware of all their schemes, the use of the media to change the narrative so that the conversation is shifted from the salient development issues to the framing input on the protesters is just replay of an old script.
“This is the first time our community has come together to demand what is right from those paid to do so. This is the first of many.
“Maybe our leader is out of touch with reality, maybe his eyes are not opening to the awakening, people have come to the realization that we have been short-changed in this region for so long, people have realized that we deserve better.
“Sekondi-Takoradi deserves better, and our community remains steadfast in its call for the progress and prosperity that have long been overdue. We implore the Regional Minister to reconsider his stance and join us in a shared vision of a brighter future for our beloved town,” the statement added.
By Eric Nana Gyetuah|Connect FM|3news.com|Ghana