The Gender, Children, and Social Protection Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) recently brought messages of hope and gifts to residents of Essikado and Shama, key constituencies in the Western Region, promising a brighter future under the party’s governance.

In collaboration with the NDC Women's Wing and Parliamentary Candidate Dr. Prof. Grace Ayensu, the Committee visited communities within these constituencies, engaging with informal sector workers and persons with disabilities.

The tour, which took place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, aimed to incorporate the issues of these groups into the NDC's 2024 manifesto and policy guide.

Engaging the Informal Sector

The well-attended tour began in Essikado, where Committee members met with various associations of informal sector workers, including hairdressers, barbers, seamstresses, market women, traders, and artisans.

Addressing a lively crowd in Essikado, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Chairperson of the Gender, Children, and Social Protection Committee of the NDC, conveyed the commitment of the John Mahama-Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang campaign to include the concerns of every societal member in their manifesto.

“John Mahama wants you to know that he hears your cries and sees the destruction caused by the current administration. He is ready to return and fix it,” Nana Oye assured the informal sector workers in Fante, responding to the shared challenges of the informal sector workers.

Messages of Support

Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, a Committee member, as well as other members of the Committee urged the workers to vote for John Mahama and Dr. Ayensu in the upcoming general elections on December 7.

They explained the NDC's free primary healthcare and 24-hour economy policies to the people.

The delegation also visited Ngyresia Beach in Essikado, where fishmongers welcomed them with drumming and dancing.

Addressing Challenges of People Living With Disabilities

The team then proceeded to the Sekondi School for the Deaf in Shama, accompanied by Parliamentary Candidate Emelia Arthur.

Here, students and school authorities discussed their challenges and how the NDC's 2024 manifesto could address them.

Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, who is also the secretary of the NDC's 2024 Manifesto Committee, promised that the issues raised by the school would be significantly featured in the party's policy document.

The delegation also presented some food items to the school.

The final stop was at the Church of Christ in Shama, where hundreds of persons living with disabilities voiced their concerns on policy issues.

Preparing for the 2024 Elections

In the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, the NDC's Gender, Children, and Social Protection Committee plans to hold similar engagements with various stakeholders across the country.

These stakeholders include Civil Society Organizations, market women, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), the media, and youth groups, as the party discusses its proposed policies and programs ahead of the upcoming elections.