The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for the Guan Constituency of the Oti Region, Fred Agbenyo has stressed that stakeholders are prepared to meet any force working to prevent the Guans from participating in the December 7, 2024, general elections.

He said all stakeholders are poised to ensure the area has a representative in the next parliament, unlike what was experienced in 2020 when the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe Traditional Areas (SALL) were denied the right to exercise their franchise.

He was speaking to the media during a campaign tour, led by the NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia in the Guan Constituency of the Oti Region.

The SALL area was carved out of the Hohoe Constituency in the Volta Region and added to the Oti Region which was created in December 2018.

“We are very hopeful, like we all heard today, some persons are orchestrating and plotting and doing whatever they are doing but it hasn't officially come to our attention yet and so we pretend as if nothing is going on. But when we get to that bridge, we will see how this pans out”, Mr. Agbenyo said.

He said that all the constitutional requirements for the creation of the constituency and election of a legislator have been met.

He further explained that the Constitutional Instrument laid before Parliament has matured though there were some attempts to get it withdrawn by the majority side of the House.

“As far as I am concerned, the CI was laid by the Electoral Commission, and when it was laid there was an attempt by some persons to get it withdrawn but our side [Minority] of the House, our [NDC] Members of Parliament insisted that they allowed it to go through. And so it went through and matured after the 21 working days on the 30th of November 2023”, he explained.

Mr Agbenyo further indicated that the candidates for the opposition NDC, the governing New Patriotic Party, and the National Development Party have all filed their nominations and went through the process as required by law.

“We have been through the entire process so we are prepared, we are ready, the people of the Guan constituency, in spite of the things that have been meted to us, are ready and willing to participate in the 2024 elections and make sure that for the first time we also get representation in Parliament.

Underdeveloped state of Guan Constituency

Mr Agbenyo acknowledged the undeveloped state of the constituency and promised to work to elevate the status of the area which lacked basic social amenities, infrastructure for government institutions and others.

He said he would lobby the government which he believes would be headed by John Dramani Mahama and philanthropic organizations across the globe to harness development in the constituency.

“We will continue to appeal to our government by the grace of God, I know President Mahama is a nation builder, he cares about the people and the development of this country and so when I rush to him and kneel and beg him and put our cake before him, I definitely believe that he will respond.

“You heard the [NDC] National Chairman make the same commitment that he has come to witness the state of affairs in the area, so when I get back to him and say ‘Mr Chairman, this is our challenge', I am sure he will be able to lead me to enter whatever office I need to enter to get these things done”, he noted.