The Member of Parliament for Damongo Constituency, and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel A. Jinapor, has pooh-poohed the 24-hour economy promised by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, describing it as a mere slogan.
He reminded Ghanaians that the NDC and Mr. Mahama plunged the country into dumsor from 2013 to 2016 and therefore could not even provide a 12-hour economy when entrusted with the economy for four years.
Mr. Jinapor recalled that there was no basic day-time economy for majority of Ghanaians as many small-scale enterprises and companies had to close down their shops and businesses as a result of the prolonged power cuts in the country.
“When they were in government, even in the day, not in the night, tailors could not work; in the day there was no economy for wielders, in the day there was no economy for carpenters, in the day there was no economy for ‘fitters’ (mechanics), in the day there was no economy for thousands and millions of Ghanaians just in the day and not in the night,” Mr. Jinapor recounted.
This record of the NDC, he pointed out, shows that the main opposition party and its flagbearer cannot be trusted with their supposed 24-hour economy.
According to the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, the NDC has failed over the years to make any substantive policy proposition to the Ghanaian people.
Speaking at a ceremony in Damongo after he was acclaimed as the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Damongo Constituency, on Saturday, Mr. Jinapor also decried lack of clarity on the 24-hour economy concept by the main opposition party, suggesting that the proposal is vague and unconvincing.
“Our friends in the NDC have been around for so long, yet they’ve never been able to make any substantive policy proposals to the Ghanaian people.
“All of a sudden from nowhere, out of the blue, they say 24-hour economy and when you ask them what does 24-hour economy mean, they either say Jack Toronto or they say something else, they are not able to explain it. And sometimes, they say it will mean that Ghanaians will have an economy not by day alone but by day and night,” the Minister stated, stressing his doubts about the opposition’s capacity to deliver on their promises.
No contest
The NPP, last month, held parliamentary primaries to elect their parliamentary candidates for Constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament.
In the Damongo Constituency, no person contested Mr. Jinapor, who is the incumbent Member of Parliament.
According to the Party’s Constitution, where only one person is nominated at the close of nominations, the person is acclaimed as the Parliamentary Candidate.
This is the second time in succession that Mr. Jinapor has gone unopposed in the Damongo Constituency.
The ceremony to acclaim the Minister, drew a number of dignitaries to the Constituency, including the General Secretary of the Party, Justin Kodua Frimpong; the Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso Boakye; the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, and the Minister-designate for Information, Ms. Fatimatu Abubakar.
‘Bawumia best to lead Ghana’
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Mr. Jinapor called on Ghanaians to vote massively for the NPP presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the Vice President.
He said in just two months after his election, Dr. Bawumia has laid down his policies and strategies to take Ghana to the next level when elected as the President of the Republic.
He said on the contrary, Mr. Mahama has not been able to make any substantive policy proposition to Ghanaians since he was elected as NDC’s flagbearer in May last year, but has rather asked for a period of honeymoon if elected as president.
Mr. Jinapor noted that contemporary development, across the world, revolves around technology, digitisation and digitalisation.
He said even as Vice President, Dr. Bawumia has championed policies that will bring the much-needed development to Ghanaians, and has proven that when elected as President, he can take Ghana to the next level.
He called on Ghanaians to rally behind the NPP and Dr. Bawumia to continue the progressive policies the Government is implementing.
‘Damongo seat secured’
Meanwhile, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister has stated that the Damongo seat is firmly secured for the governing NPP.
Fondly referred to as the “Man of Action,” “Man of Development,” and “Man of the People,” Mr. Jinapor, confidently assured the NPP leadership that his constituency is secured for victory in the upcoming 2024 general election.
He pledged the support of the NPP constituency towards ensuring Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia becomes the President of Ghana in the upcoming general election.
“The Savannah Region will be a true battleground for the NPP. Every vote will be contested and every seat will be contested, and with God’s help, all these seats will be secured for the NPP government”, the Damongo lawmaker assured.
Urging the General Secretary to convey the positive news that the Savannah Region is firmly in favour of the NPP, he stated, “We will win Damongo for the NPP, and we will secure a significant number of seats for the NPP, with God ensuring this success.
“Let us unite and back Jinapor, back Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and back the NPP to win the Savannah Region for the incumbent government.”.
Mr. Jinapor expressed gratitude to all and sundry for their support and love in making him the MP once again.
He also thanked Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for his support and confidence reposed in.
Savannah Region
Damongo is one of the seven constituencies in the Savannah Region, which has traditionally been held by the opposition NDC since 1993.
In 2020, Mr. Jinapor contested for the first time against the incumbent NDC MP Adam Mutawakilu, who had been their lawmaker since 2013.
In a fierce contest that shocked pundits, Mr. Jinapor won the elections for the first time for the NPP with over 54% of the valid votes cast, becoming the first NPP legislator of the area since the inception of the Fourth Republic.
