Thirty members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Mpraeso Constituency in the Eastern Region have defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The group, including a ward secretary, Mr Yaw Dente announced their defection on Friday, August 5 at Sukwa, a town near Mpraeso. That was shortly after the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Kwahu South, Mr Joseph Omari, had presented electric bulbs and other electrical accessories valued at GH¢5,000 to the town which had just been hooked to the national grid. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Mr Dente said they were happy with the rate at which the present government had been providing social amenities, especially electricity for the people in the area who, according to him, never dreamt of such amenities. He said the provision of street lights at Sukwa and its neigbouring communities had also been a surprise to them and had therefore decided to join the NDC and vote for it to retain power to further improve their living standard. The NDC Mpraeso Constituency Chairman, Mr Emanuel Atta Obeng, who welcomed them to the fold of the party said the area, despite being a stronghold of the NPP, would never be neglected in the distribution of the national cake and expressed his appreciation to the group for recognising the good works of the government. Mr Omari said an elaborate development programme for the district was being carried out and that every community would have the basic social amenities. He called on the people to co-operate with the chiefs and assembly members for the execution of the projects. He also said the assembly would soon be rehabilitating the only junior high school in the town and also provide it with a modern place of convenience. In answer to a question, Mr Omari said the assembly would see how best to deal with a timber firm whose vehicles had destroyed bridges and the only road that linked the area with the rest of the district. Mr. Samuel Kwaku Adjei, the Eastern Regional Vice-Chairman of the NDC, said the party was committed to the welfare of the people, especially those in deprived communities and that was why most of such communities in the constituency were being provided with social amenities, especially electricity, and asked them to vote massively for the NDC to retain power for them to provide more of the amenities. The Chief of Sukwa, Nana Kwaku Asante, said he was surprised that the town which had been in darkness since its establishment almost a century ago now had electricity and street lights. Earlier, the Assemblyman for the area, Teacher Ampadu said he would continue to lobby the assembly to provide more social amenities for the people.