Member of Parliament for Sekondi Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer has mounted a spirited argument that every effort is being marshalled to stimulate and attract the right amount of investment needed for the development of the Western Region.
“For sometime now, the Western Regional Minister Kobby Otchere Darko Mensah has led and organised a mining expo. What is that intended to achieve? We have finished Phase One of the Port of Takoradi expansion, what is that might to achieve? We have seen a number of roads undergoing major rehabilitation. A new regional hospital is being built. Certainly, all these efforts are being made to stimulate, attract and open up the Region for the private sector to enter and contribute to the development that we all yearn for.
“In fact, for those who don’t know, there is actually a whole office at the Regional Coordinating Council dedicated to unearthing as well as championing all investment opportunities in the Region.
“So there is a lot going on, only that for some strange reasons, which I don’t want to believe is motivated by politics, people are falling to see that things are happening.”
Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer offered these as a response to a question on an ongoing campaign christened ‘Sekondi-Takoradi deserves better’ when he appeared on the Friday, October 20 edition of Connect FM’s morning show Omanbapa.
“But, of course, nobody can stop anyone from demonstrating and as a lawyer for many years, I so much appreciate that the right to demonstrate is enshrined in the Constitution.”
He, however, prefers that “rather than demonstrate, I would have wished that they engage the Regional Coordinating Council. The regional minister as well as all the MPs and MMDCEs run an open-door administration and are ever ready to dialogue on issues that will help develop this region. Who wouldn’t want that?
“I’m yet to hear from persons behind the intended demonstration that they have requested to meet either the regional minister or any high authority in the region and they have been turned down.”
He further explained: “My suggestion for them to choose the dialogue route is not in anyway to stop them from demonstrating. But I believe if dialogue can help, what’s the point in demonstrating. Mind you, and don’t get me wrong you can do all the demonstrations but if there is no money, there is no money.
Sekondi’s development has always been my priority…
Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer insisted that he was well aware of the duties of an MP and the demands thereof when he decided to contest the seat and “has not lost sight of that”.
“I come from Sekondi. This is where I grew up. It will be very unfortunate for anyone to think that I’m happy with the current state of affairs.
“What I want my constituents to understand is that everyday I think about how to improve Sekondi because if the roads are bad, it affects me as well, I’m equally affected if it has to do with education or health issues.”
He assures that “I will do my best, with what I have and to the best of my abilities so as to ensure that Sekondi gets its due.
“But I will urge that we season our comments when we talk about issues of development. Many good people with the right set of mind and finances are shying away from politics because of how some people comment and behave.
“It hurts but for me I remain focused.”
By Eric Yaw Adjei