ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ENDORSE NANA AKUFO AHEAD OF WEDNESDAY POLLS

With just 48 hours to Wednesday 7th December, 2016 general elections, concerned Assembly members across the 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (M/MDAs) and Unit Committee members have declared their unflinching support for Nana Akufo Addo, the Presidential candidate for NPP.

They have also called on all incumbent Assembly members, Unit Committee members, former M/MDCES, especially and all Ghanaians who want development to vote massively for Nana Addo and all NPP parliamentary candidates across the country to enable them win majority seats in Parliament to help them pass the necessary bills for the implementation of the $1 million, one constituency poverty policy.

According to them, they see the policy as more or less a common fund for Assembly members/unit Committee members who have the potency to reduce poverty and improve the wellbeing of their electorates. Adding that the policy is one of  the best proposed pro-poor policies/programmes captured by all contesting Presidential candidates and political parties’ manifestoes.

“As Concerned Assembly members, we think that, this policy will be a major policy shift from the centralized way of governing the country’s resources.

We therefore think that, it is now time for Assembly members across the country to rise for change and campaign vigorously for Nana Akufo Addo”.

The full press statement read by Hon.Joseph Asante, assembly member for Aputuoagya electoral area and the spokesperson for the concerned Assembly/Unit Committee members entitled   “ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ENDORSE NANA AKUFO ADDO’S $ 1MILLION, ONE CONSTITUENCY POLICY”,read Good morning Ladies and gentlemen from the inky fraternity, colleagues Hon. Assembly Members, Unit Committee members and fellow Ghanaians.

We appreciate your time this morning even though it was a short notice you have managed to honour our invitation and we thank you.

Friends from the media, so soon, another political year is here with us and the whole of Ghana will be going to the polls to cast our votes on Wednesday 7^th December, 2016.

The result of the elections will determine the direction and future of Ghana for the next four years, thus 2017-2020, therefore, every Ghanaian especially electorates must not only be concerned about it, but critically analyze the various contesting candidates and their party’s manifestoes to enable them vote wisely.

Ladies and gentlemen from the media, we have called this press conference to let you know our stance on the much talked about campaign promised of Nana Akufo Addo, the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) “$ I MILLION, ONE CONSTITUENCY POLICY”, which would have a direct impact on us, as representatives of the various electoral areas across the 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country.

As Assembly members and Unit Committee  members of the 216 MMDAs, who will be direct beneficiaries should Nana Akufo Addo/NPP win power come 7^th December,2016 general elections, we have taken time to study both contesting political parties and their manifestoes especially NDC and NPP.

We wish therefore to single out the $ 1 million, one district constituency policy and state unequivocally that, the policy is one of the best proposed policies among all the pro-poor policies/programmes by all political parties in their manifestoes for the 2016 general elections.

As concerned Assembly members and Unit Committee members who have been struggling with our Chiefs/queen mothers and other relevant stakeholders to get resources for development especially for the provision of basic social amenities, we see this policy as more or less “a common fund for Assembly members/Unit Committee members”, has the potency to reduce poverty and improve the wellbeing of our electorates.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we wish to declare our unflinching support for the policy, Nana Akufo Addo/ NPP and urge all our electorates to vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo.

Fellow Ghanaians, Local government experts have advocated that, the Ministries of Finance, and Local Government and Rural Development to developed Social Contract templates for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

According to the experts, MMDA should sign Social Contracts with social partners such as traditional authorities, property owners, local branches of trade unions, occupational groups, artisans, the youth, women groups, persons with disability etc.

The purpose of the social contract will be to reach the widest possible consensus on the goals of Community development; the necessary steps existing for the rights of citizens to be recognized and given meaning to via the management of Internally Generated Fund (IGF); and the fulfillment of tax obligations of the citizens towards the MMDAs.

According to the Local Government experts, the content of the social contract should be based on key decisions in the economic and social fields and the regulations of the relationship between MMDAs and citizens. The rights of citizens will be the subject of negotiations between the social partners and the MMDAs regarding the use of IGFs.

Friends from the media, we see Nana Akufo Addo’s $ 1 Million, one constituency policy promised well captured in the party’s 2016 manifesto as timely and well taught through by Nana Akufo Addo and NPP leadership to help address most of these concerns.

As we speak now, for more than a year now Assembly members have not been given allowances. The promise by late President Mills/Mahama government to pay Assembly members in the country has also not been fulfilled leaving us in hardships.

Sadly, the motor bikes Assembly members were promised up to date have not been released yet we still have to serve our communities who are yearning for development especially provision of basic social amenities like toilet facilities, water etc .

THE $ I MILLION, ONE CONSTITUENCY POVERTY POLICY OF NPP!

The NPP has promised One Million dollars, one constituency policy per year which is aimed at fighting poverty in Ghana.The Party has promised to allocate a total of $ 1.6 billion under the infrastructure for poverty alleviation policy if it wins the forthcoming general election which is just 2 days from today.

Out of this amount, one Million dollars will be given to each of the 275 constituencies a year for four (4) years for projects targeted at fighting poverty across the country devoid of discrimination.

Friends from the media, we are appealing to our fellow incumbent assembly members across the 216 MMDAs, Unit Committee members, former Assembly Members, MMDCEs, actors of Local Government especially and all Ghanaians who want development and effective decentralization to vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo to help him implement this God given policy geared towards alleviating the plight of Assembly members and Unit Committee members and their electorates.

As concerned Assembly Members, we think that, this policy will be a major policy shift from the centralized way of governing the country’s resources.

This is because the various constituencies irrespective of one’s political affiliation or ethnic background will now determine what is more important and how much money will make the District Assemblies redundant. As for us, we think that, this policy will go a long way to deepen the concept of decentralization apart from fast tracking development at the various electorate areas because Assembly members, Unit Committee members, Chiefs, Members of Parliament (MPs) and other relevant stakeholders will have the opportunity to brainstorm and prioritize their developmental programmes and get funds to implement them with the $ 1 million, one constituency policy.

We think that, it is now time for Assembly members and Unit Committee members especially across the to rise for change and campaign vigorously for Nana Akufo Addo/NPP to win the 7^th December polls to him them implement this policy .

We also call on all Ghanaians, especially eligible voters to vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo who is number Five (5) on the ballot paper and all NPP Parliamentary candidates to enable them win majority in Parliament to make it easy for them to pass the necessary bills for the implementation of $1 million, one constituency policy.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the inky fraternity, we are well convinced without any doubt that, Nana Akufo Addo when given the nod can implement the policy without any sweat. It is on this note we bring the curtains down on this press briefing. Thank You and God bless us all”.