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Mr Ransford Antwi, an independent candidate for the Sunyani East Constituency, has pledged to challenge the longstanding dominance of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the forthcoming general elections.
The NPP has held this constituency since 1996; however, Mr Antwi said he remained undeterred by the ruling party’s stronghold, citing their failure to meet the developmental needs of the local populace as the reason for his optimism.
He indicated that lack of development of the area, had motivated several influential figures within the constituency and abroad to encourage his candidacy, aiming to provide the community with renewed hope and a commitment to progress.
As a businessman and philanthropist based in Sunyani, Mr Antwi believed that his established reputation for honesty and integrity had garnered him significant support from the electorate.
He expressed confidence in winning their support in December, bolstered by a recent survey from Infoanalytic, which identified him as the favoured candidate among constituents.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghanaian Times in Sunyani on Thursday, he indicated that he had a solid team on the ground working hard to maintain the momentum and leaving nothing to chance.
“When I declared my intention to contest, some people thought I was just joking and that I would collect money from other contestants and abandon my dream. But I want to assure you that I am in it for the long haul,” he said.
Mr Antwi said his primary focus would be on development and job creation, vowing to equip a significant portion of the youth with skills that enhance their employability if he is elected.
He expressed concern that the Sunyani East Constituency and the broader Sunyani area have diminished in stature due to the absence of substantial developmental initiatives.
“The deteriorating condition of Sunyani’s roads, characterised by potholes, the neglected regional library, and the absence of a sports stadium for the constituency are among the issues I intends to address if I secures victory in the election,” he said.
He said the current condition of Sunyani, as the capital of the Bono Region, did not reflect its rightful status and urged the community to unite in order to transform this situation.
Mr Antwi also revealed his intention to establish a dedicated office to provide assistance to those in need and to organise town hall meetings aimed at gathering community input to enhance service delivery.
“We need to train the youth in employable skills to enable them to create their own jobs. Hence, I plan to establish a youth training centre similar to the Sunyani Development Youth Association, where many people are learning dressmaking and kente weaving,” Mr Antwi said.
The former Majority Leader in Parliament, J.H. Mensah, won the seat for the first time from 1996 to 2004 and handed it over to the current MP, Akwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh.
In 2016, former Ghanaian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr George Kumi, broke ranks with the NPP and contested as an independent candidate but lost to the incumbent Member of Parliament
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, SUNYANI
