For sometime now, I have been observing the DBI constituency from afar and I can say that I am really enjoying the maturity, sanity and relatively peaceful nature of the politicking in the area. In fact, the politicians across the political divides have demonstrated that peace is the ultimate beyond fame and power. I admonish other constituencies to emulate the nature of politics so far demonstrated in this constituency.
Let no one say am projecting the constituency because I’m a constituent myself. Let the truth be told irrespective of any political inclination. I would certainly point out any odds that may characterise our politics. As an ardent youth activist and student’s leader, I believe in peace and development.
Now the main content of my folder.
Those who have been keenly monitoring politics in Upper West would agree with me that apart from the fact that a good number of NDC gurus including the Hon Majority leader, HON. S. A Bagbin hail from the region, DBI is an interesting constituency to monitor in this impending elections.
Since 1992, the parliamentary seat has been NDC. The incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon Mathias Puozaa has paved way for a gentleman who is a medical doctor and director of Ghana Health Services and as well being a native of the constituency. An indigent for that matter. He is called Hon Sebastian Sandaare popularly called Dr Sandaare.
Interestingly, the NPP Parliamentary candidate is a fine legal practitioner who is also an indigent of the constituency and base in WA perhaps because of his legal duties in that urban zone. He is popularly called Charles B Lwanga.
I believe you can imagine the caliber of candidates in the race.
As a constituent and youth activist from the constituency, I have known Dr. Sandaare better because of how visible he has been in the constituency. For instance, he rose through being an Assembly member, Presiding member and now the NDC parliamentary candidate. It tells you how deeply rooted he is in constituency.
Contrary, I got to know Charles Lwangu after he had won the NPP primaries. In fact, I first saw him the very day he was declared winner and in a couple of funerals in the constituency. As you know, politicians of his caliber will certainly want to shake hands at funerals to catch the eyes of their constituents. The last time I saw him was the parliamentary debate encounter he had with Dr. Sandaare and I really enjoyed the banter though he ( Lwanga) shamelessly churned out a few palpable lies about the constituency.
The constituency is proud for the duo since they are good role models to the youth with regards to their professions.
Let me however state it clearly that personal development is very different from leadership and people should not think that having the best academic laurels depict signs of good leadership. People have tried it and failed regrettably. I still do remember of my Uncle Prof. Kassim Kansanga another proud son of the constituency who was a lecturer at KNUST before his political escapades.
He contested the constituency parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NPP and lost bitterly in 2004. The then parliamentary candidate of the NDC, Hon Mathias Puozaa beat him convincingly.
I have decided not to talk about the other parliamentary candidates not because they make virtually insignificant impact on the elections but to narrow the analyses on the candidates presented by the two major political parties.
What many people in and out of the constituency fail to see is that the two current parliamentary candidates indeed represent their political ideology.
Political history depicts vividly that the NPP emanated from a largely elite class of people with good academic laurels. A typical proud, educated and famous group of people who distinguish themselves from illiterate and semi illiterate, middle class and the poor majority. These are verifiable accounts. Even as we speak, the NPP can still boast of majority of lawyers in this country.
The NDC emanated from all classes of people. Illiterates, traders, farmers, fishermen, a poor majority among others. It is congressional. To put it for short.
I have seen traces of the two political doctrines manifest in the lives of the duo.
Of course, the NPP candidate is a good lawyer of reputable standing and a lecturer. He has such elitist looking. An individual we consider in the part of our region as a typical rich man. The reality is that few of his caliber are in the constituency. It is very clear however that he does not associate with the constituents. I cannot tell the reasons though but that is very usual of distinguished individuals. I wonder whether he understands the development challenges of the people.
Dr. Sandaare though a medical doctor, another enviable profession that requires high intelligence to attain, relates well with the people by serving them. He has been instrumental in the development of the constituency especially when he ascended the throne of the presiding member.
The first time I met him was at a local festival called the “Duyee” festival celebrated by the people of Daffiama. He was with a team providing free medical services to the people. I was impressed by his humble outlook. Few years down the line, the name Dr. Sandaare became a household name. When he won the NDC primaries last year, I was not surprise at all because he had booked the seat long before, in his early days, by his deeds. Hardwork truly pays.
Currently as he goes about campaigning, he goes to the people and preaches his policies in his usual door to door campaign.
Fortunately for him, his party in government (NDC) has achieved so much in the constituency. In fact, the constituency is now a district on its own after it was carved out of the then Nadowli district in 2012 by the NDC government.
You can imagine the infrastructure that goes with a newly created district. I think Hon Mathias Puozaa and Hon Fedelis Zumakpee, the DCE of the district have done marvellously well.
What I want to say is that the people have seen it happened and believe a lot can happen with Dr. Sandaare as a member of Parliament. Let me call that realism.
Unfortunately, the NPP parliamentary candidate has a serious challenge because his NPP eight years in power did very very little for the constituency. The people find it difficult to trust his promises. Especially his promise of providing health facilities to every community. His idealistic approach sounds very abstract and for that matter impractical to the people. I think he could be a more viable candidate in the future if he takes his time and study and know the constituency better. For now, I just cannot get any realistic and achievable promise he gives with his flamboyant vocabularies which is very usual of such legal luminaries of his sort. Many are those who find it difficult to understand him.
For me, I urge the constituents to think twice and not allow people to use semantics to deceive us for votes for their personal gains. These is a common saying that ” if a market will be full, it starts from morning”. We have two important sons to consider but I think Dr. Sandaare has distinguished himself in serving the people. To whom honour is due, let honour be given.
Let’s endorse Dr. Sandaare to lead us as a team to push the progress and development of our constituency further.
Let me reaffirm my strongest conviction that he is the winning candidate and his victory has a greater impact in the lives of all constituents.
Ny3 JM, ny3 Sandaare.
I dedicate this article to the following; Hon. Derbie Raphael, Isaac Langu, Banaale David, my readers, The Yelibangniba family and all my constituents.
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