….Ahead of 2024 elections
With just seven months to go before the 2024 general elections, the Awutu Senya West Constituency, is becoming a hotbed of political activity.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are trading barbs, with each side accusing the other of electoral irregularities and underperformance.
The NDC, has warned the NPP parliamentary candidate, Eugene Arhin, who doubles as the Communications Director of the President, to stop his alleged plan to bring in outsiders to register and vote in the constituency.
In a press release, the NDC stated, “We have taken notice of your purported plans to transport outsiders and strangers from outside Awutu Senya West to partake in the upcoming limited voter registration exercise, which we vehemently oppose and caution you against.”
The NDC, also alleged that Arhin, has collaborated with certain Assembly members and intermediaries to facilitate the influx of individuals from Gomoa East into Awutu Senya West for the limited voter registration purposes.
“This egregious act has already been brought before the esteemed Ama Kum’s chief palace for adjudication,” the NDC release stated.
But the NPP has refuted the claims, describing them as “baseless and unfounded allegations.”
In a press release dated 30th April 2024, the NPP stated, “We wish to assure the NDC in Awutu Senya West that we, in NPP, believe that, based on the enviable records of our parliamentary candidate and our presidential candidate, we will certainly fold the umbrella to rest on December 7th, 2024.”
The NPP also denied allegations that Arhin has promised to pay GH¢5,000 to facilitate the influx of voters to Awutu Senya West for the limited voter registration exercise.
“Our Parliamentary Candidate, Mr Eugene Arhin, has not promised to pay any Assembly member, be it in Awutu Senya West or any District or Constituency for whatever reasons; be it for the voter registration exercise or not,” the release stated.
The NPP also took a swipe at the NDC MP, Hon. Gizella Agbotui Tetteh, describing her as the “worst performing Member of Parliament in the history of Awutu Senya West Constituency.”
“We invite the NDC to bring the records of our MP Hon. Gizella Agbotui Tetteh to scrutiny, and they would realize that she has been the worst performing Member of Parliament in the history of Awutu Senya West Constituency,” the release stated.
The NPP has reaffirmed its commitment to abiding by electoral laws and has urged the NDC to do the same.
“We will provide citizens of Awutu Senya West, who reside in other parts of Ghana, and wish to come home to register, with the necessary support that they will need; as has been done in the past by various political parties, including the NDC,” the release stated.
The political temperature in Awutu Senya West Constituency is expected to continue rising as the elections draw near.
The NDC’s statement said: The Awutu Senya west leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a press release has warned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Eugene Arhin to immediately stop his ill-conceived agenda to move outsiders into the constituency during the fourth coming EC registration exercise.
The move is to enable the outsiders smuggled to have an opportunity to vote for him in this year’s general elections.
The release which was jointly signed by Cassius Otto Larbie and Nathaniel Armah Nyan, the Communication officer and his deputy respectful indicated that We have taken notice of your purported plans to transport outsiders and strangers from outside Awutu Senya West to partake in the upcoming limited voter registration exercise which we vehemently oppose and caution you against.
It has also come to our attention, with evidence, that you have collaborated with certain Assembly members and intermediaries, allegedly at a considerable sum of GHS50,000, to facilitate the influx of individuals from Gomoa East into Awutu Senya West for the limited voter registration purposes. This egregious act has already been brought before the esteemed Ama Kum’s chief palace for adjudication.
Disturbingly, recent intel from within your own party suggests that your scheme extends beyond Gomoa East; you are allegedly orchestrating the importation of individuals from Cote D’Ivoire and Yeji to register and vote in Awutu Senya West. Reportedly, these outsiders have been promised financial incentives of GHC1000 upon registration and a staggering GHC5000 post-voting.
We find this course of action not only reprehensible but also deeply concerning. As citizens and representatives of Awutu Senya West, your duty should be to uphold the integrity of the constituency’s electoral process. However, your actions suggest otherwise, raising doubts about your commitment to the welfare and interests of the good people of Awutu Senya West.
Furthermore, it is widely known that you hail from Saltpond in the Mfantseman constituency, not Awutu Senya West. While we acknowledge your right to contest elections in any constituency, your clandestine efforts to import voters from other regions betray your true motives for the good people of Awutu Senya West.
As citizens and a political party, we advocate for peace, transparency, and fairness in all electoral proceedings. Your actions, if not halted immediately, have the potential to sow seeds of discord and ignite civil unrest within the constituency.
It is not too late to rectify your course and demonstrate genuine allegiance to the constituents you seek to represent. Let us work together to ensure that Awutu Senya West remains a beacon of democracy and integrity.
The NPP statement said;
Re: ADVOCATING AGAINST OUTSIDERS CHOOSING OUR MP IN AWUTU SENYA WEST CONSTITUENCY; Urgent warning to Awutu Senya West NPP parliamentary candidate for Awutu Senya West Constituency.
We have taken notice of the release signed by NDC Communications Officers in which they have made baseless and unfounded allegations against our parliamentary candidate, Mr. Eugene Arhin. These unfounded allegations have become the practice of the NDC in an attempt to shield and cover their underperforming MP Hon. Gizella Agbotui Tetteh over the last three (3) years that she has been the MP for Awutu Senya West.
We wish to assure the NDC in Awutu Senya West that we, in NPP, believe that, based on the enviable records of our parliamentary candidate and our presidential candidate, we will certainly fold the umbrella to rest on December 7th, 2024.
Now to their baseless allegations.
Allegation
The NDC suggest we the NPP will transport outsiders and strangers ostensibly to register in the upcoming voter registration.
Our Response!
The NPP in Awutu Senya West state unequivocally that we will not do anything outside the electoral laws of Ghana in the upcoming registration exercise. We will provide citizens of Awutu Senya West, who reside in other parts of Ghana, and wish to come home to register, with the necessary support that they will need; as has been done in the past by various political parties, including the NDC.
Allegation
The NDC also alleges that our parliamentary candidate has plans to pay GH¢5,000 to facilitate the influx of voters to Awutu Senya West for the limited voter registration exercise.
Our response!
Our Parliamentary Candidate, Mr. Eugene Arhin, has not promised to pay any Assembly member, be it in Awutu Senya West or any District or Constituency for whatever reasons; be it for the voter registration exercise or not. Mr. Eugene Arhin will use the said amount, if he has it, to help improve the welfare of our Constituents, as has been his trump card as a young politician.
Mr. Eugene Arhin is a true son of Awutu Senya West; his father hails from Senya Beraku; and Eugene Arhin who has his personal house in Senya unlike the NDC MP, Hon. Gizella Agbotui Tetteh, whose mother hails from Hungary. In spite of her twenty-three (23) years’ experience architect, Hon. Gizella Abgotui Tetteh does not have even a hen coop to her name in her father’s hometown, Obrachire.
We invite the NDC to bring the records of our MP Hon. Gizella Agbotui Tetteh to scrutiny, and they would realize that she has been the worst performing Member of Parliament in the history of Awutu Senya West Constituency
The New Patriotic Party in Awutu Senya West Constituency and our Parliamentary Candidate, Mr. Eugene Arhin, are unfazed by these baseless allegations targeted at our Parliamentary Candidate, and would continue to pursue our development agenda to improve the welfare of Awutu Senya West Constituents. Based on this, and with the help of Almighty God, we will be crowned the victors in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Signed
Ephraim Aidoo
Communications Officer
Awutu Senya West Constituency
