The Gender, Children, and Social Protection Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) recently visited Essikado and Shama, key constituencies in the Western Region, delivering messages of hope and gifts to residents.

The Committee, among other things, aims to highlight the potential for a brighter future for all Ghanaians under a John Mahama-led NDC government.

Collaborative efforts

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

The visit took place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, as part of efforts to incorporate the issues faced by these groups into the NDC’s 2024 manifesto and policy guide.

Engaging the informal sector

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

Addressing the lively crowd, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Chairperson of the Gender, Children, and Social Protection Committee said the John Mahama-Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang campaign remains highly committed to addressing their concerns in the party’s 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.

Messages of support

Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, along with other Committee members, urged the workers to vote for John Mahama and Dr. Ayensu in the upcoming general elections on December 7.

They also explained the NDC’s policies on free primary healthcare and a 24-hour economy.

The delegation visited Ngyresia Beach in Essikado, where they were warmly welcomed by fishmongers with drumming and dancing.

Addressing the challenges of PWDs

The team 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, also the secretary of the NDC’s 2024 Manifesto Committee, promised that these issues would be prominently featured in the party’s policy document. The delegation also presented 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 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.

The party aims to discuss its proposed policies and programs, ensuring that the voices of all community members are heard and addressed in their plans for the future.