The poor roads in the Western Region is creating unease tension within the ranks of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
There have been several instances where residents in the region have staged demonstrations to register their anger to authorities over poor roads but nothing has happened.
The Western Region Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah in a recent response to some demonstrators indicated that many residents in the region were happy with the achievements of the NPP government.
But it appears the Chairman of the Party in the Region is not in agreement with him. In a recent interview, Francis Ndedesia indicated that he cannot lead a campaign in the Western Region with the current state of roads. He indicates that the NPP government has starved the region of good roads for some time and as such, he has no message for campaign in 2024.
“Even my own constituency Jomoro, if they are not able to come and fix the road, hardly will I be able to go there that I am going to campaign. I have nothing to say and there is nothing to show. I cannot go there and stand on a platform and no presidential aspirant can come here for me to lead him to that constituency,” he indicated in an interview on Neat FM (November 23).
He adds that even though the region contributes a major chunk of the national resources, there is nothing to show for it.
“It is very difficult, just about 18 to 20 kilometres road, the GNPC and Ghana Gas, when you come to the area the oil and gas are all coming from Jomoro but the factory has been built in Ellembelle. The supply of the needed raw materials is from Jomoro. Compare Jomoro and Ellembelle in terms of development. Jomoro is not near to Ellemebelle as if we don’t matter. No, you can’t eat your cake and have it,” he warned.
According to the regional chairman, all his attempts to have the government to address his concerns have been met with deaf ears. He noted that the party risks losing the 2024 presidential election if the plea is not heeded to.
“I have sent it to cabinet and cabinet retreat. I don’t know where else I have not pushed this issue. It was the same in the 2020 election, I warned that the issue of galamsey be addressed or we will lose the Western Region to the NDC, and it came to pass.
“We have not learnt our lessons; a lot of things have not been changed. My brother, we all came to meet politics and we will one day leave it behind but I will not put my hard-earned reputation on the line for people to insult me,” he stated.