The Parliamentary Candidate for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) Constituency in the Central Region, John Sterlin, is aiming at winning 65% of the valid votes cast on 7th December.
He said he is the best to represent the aspirations of the electorates of KEEA in the next parliament.
John Sterlin, who is contesting the KEEA parliamentary seat for the first time, said he is optimistic of winning the seat, given what he has done for his constituents. “They are aware of what I have done and what John Sterlin can do to help them when I go to parliament.
The teeming unemployed youth would be given jobs and as a fisherman, I would speak on the sustainability of the fishing stock and given this, I believe I am winning 65% votes at the polls,” he posited.
He made these comments in an interview with citifmonline.com, when during his campaign trail over the weekend, where he addressed opinion leaders at Kwanhenkrom, Kissi and Komenda. He alluded to the fact that, his political career was motivated by his brother in-law Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom.
“You know Dr. Papa Kwesi Ndoum himself is a big motivation and inspiration. If you get know him well you won’t want to follow anybody else in Ghana politics. He is very forthright and a very reliable person who convinced me to be in politic.”
He promised to curb illegal fishing activities in the fishing industry in the area, when voted into office. He said he would ensure availability of premix fuel for the every fisherman to enhance their fishing expedition especially in bumper seasons.
He added that, an incoming PPP government would build citrus factory in order to enhance the farming communities in KEEA. “I have seen oranges rotten myself in the constituency because of bad roads and lack of factories to buy the oranges so we would build cottage factories to produce juices for the schools and hotels in Ghana,” he noted.
He said he would be the best choice for the predominantly NDC constituency because he has a better chance than both the candidates of the NPP and the NDC.
“Nana Ato Arthur of the NPP has been the MCE for four years, he was the deputy regional minister for one and half years, and a regional minister for two and half years, and top of that we have given him the Member of Parliament position for four years; what does he haveto show?
If he has something to show it would be out there for us to see. And the NDC candidate Samuel Atta Mills where does he comes from? He couldn’t even locate Brenuakyinim a popular village in this constituency. He should go to Ekumfi Otuam and contest there,” he stated.
The KEEA Seat
The KEEA has traditionally been an NDC seat since 1992, until 2004, when Dr. Nduom won it on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party (CPP). His win was made possibly because of an alliance with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for which reason the party failed to put forward a candidate. Dr. Nduom left the seat to contest as a presidential candidate in 2008 on the CPP’s ticket. The seat thus fell back to the NDC with Dr. J. S. Annan as the MP.
However, due to an internal division that saw an Independent Candidate, Dr. Ato Quarshie emerging from the NDC, the party lost the seat to the NPP for the first time, with the incumbent MP, Nana Ato Arthur.
Could PPP win?
Although the PPP as a party has not made any significant gains in terms of votes in elections 2012 in both parliamentary and presidential, the party seems to have a better chance this time round.
The PPP Parliamentary Candidate, John Sterling, is relying heavily on the influence of his in-law Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, whose growing business investments across the country and in the KEEA area, has given jobs to several persons including traditional NDC and NPP members, who have promised to vote for the party.
Residents have also complained about the failure of both the current NDC administration and the previous NPP government to better their lives.
Some constituents also appear to be buying into the PPP’s campaign message to the effect that the NDC’s Candidate, Samuel Atta Mills, brother to the late President Mills, is an alien in the constituency, since he originally hails from Otuam in the Ekumfi constituency.
If these developments are anything to go by, then the PPP, whose candidate is reportedly galvanizing a huge youthful support following the promise of jobs, could pull a big surprise on December 7.
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