The retention of the Awutu-Senya Parliamentary Seat by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2008 general election would depend on the fulfillment of its promise to reconstruct and re-tar the 10 Kilometer Awutu-Bontrase trunk road, the rehabilitation of the Bawjiase Market and creation of a separate District for Awutu. This was the resolution adopted by members of Awutu citizens Union at their Annual Review conference held at Takoradi at the weekend. The Chairman of Union, Kwaku Tetteh Yannee, who read the resolutions the 2004 general election the NPP promised to reconstruct and re-tar the Awutu-Bontrase trunk road which had become unmotorable over the past 12 years, rehabilitate the Bawjiase market and to create a separate district for Awutu. He said that it was following these promises that the people of Awutu and Senya voted massively for the NPP to wrestle the seat from the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Mr Yanney said they had not seen any concrete evidence that the NPP Government intends to fulfill any of its promises except that they come to tell us every year that the Awutu-Bontrase road has been awarded on contract and work will start soon, while a foreign loan had been sought for the rehabilitation of the Bawjiase market. In respect of the creation of a separate District for Awutu the Union said that although the Awutu Area has fulfilled all the requirements stipulated in the Local Government act “we were left out when creating 38 new districts”. He explained that according to the last population census, the population of Awutu area stood at 120,000 far above the 75,000 required by the act for the creation of a district. In addition, the area has four major markets at Kasoa, Bawjiase, Bontruse and Awutu as well as some commercial Agricultural Ventures like cultivation of pineapples for export and oil palm, coconut, sugarcane coupled with large scale cultivation of cassava, plantain, corn, fruits and vegetables that could generate enough revenue for the District Assembly when created, he argued. He said it would dispatch members to the Awutu Area to educate their people to ensure that they did no vote on vague promises but for the party that would satisfy their social needs. He said even though they still have confidence in the NPP, “we will be compelled to part company with it if immediate action was not taken to address our grievances.” The Union also deplored the performance of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Assembly for neglecting Awutu area in the provision of development projects although about 80 per cent of revenue generated by the Assembly comes from the Awutu area. Mr Yanney said instead of providing development projects; the Assembly has only taken delight in the demolition of structures in the area. The conference was attended by delegates from Awutu Kasoa, Bawjiase, Ofaakor, Bontrase, Ofaso, Obrakyere, Ayiresu Penim and Ahentia. Source: The Ghanaian Times