The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-GHANA) on Wednesday organized a parliamentary debate for aspiring Members of Parliament (MP) in the Cape Coast North Constituency.
The debate which was organized in collaboration with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), was to enable parliamentary candidates across the country to outline their plans and programmes for the electorates to make informed choices.
It was held at the Pedu Catholic Seminary in Cape Coast and was attended by a cross section of the public and students, with two of the three expected candidates, Mrs. Sarah Bucknor of the Progressive People's party (PPP) and Dr. Mrs. Henrietta Abane of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) participating.
Mr. Ebo Barton-Odro, the incumbent MP seeking re-election, was absent.
The three moderators, Mr. Ebenezer Aggrey, Assistance Registrar of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Mr. David Acheampong, Central Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Mr. Kofi Ampah-Korsah, Regional Officer for Teachers and Educational Workers Union, asked questions on Education, health, Disability law and its compliance, peace and security, and corruption.
Questions were asked and answered in the Fanti local dialect to the understanding of all present.
On eduation, Mrs. Bucknor assured the people that when she was voted into power, she will make sure that the school feeding programme was expanded and that lands would be acquired where farmers would be employed to plant some crops so that they could get enough food to feed their families.
She also said she would ensure the provision of well equipped kitchens in the schools and employ competent caterers who will cook good and healthy food for the children.
When asked about the plans of her Party to help the disabled in the society, Mrs Bucknor said she would help them acquire jobs so that they could get something meaningful to do to make them economically independent.
On the provision of good health, Mrs. Bucknor said she would provide mobile clinics in deprived areas to cater for mostly pregnant women so they would not have to walk long distances to attend hospitals to help curtail the rate of maternal deaths.
To reduce malaria, a PPP government would provide enough mosquito nets to the public and intensify health and sanitation education, she said, adding that the necessary equipment needed in the hospitals would also be supplied to improve health care delivery.
Dr. Mrs. Abane on the school feeding programmes, said she would make sure the agency responsible for hiring caterers employed qualified people who had the finances to do the job. She appealed to the Government to provide the resources needed to keep the programme going.
On health she intimated that she would send proposals to the government to provide the hospitals with the needed equipment for the early detection of diseases.
On the disabled, the parliamentary candidate pledged to carry out intensive education for the public to treat persons with disability with equal respect as their able-bodied counterparts whilst avenues would be created for them to get jobs to get them off the streets.
She said she would organize workshops for them and take their plight to parliament so that they can be helped. She would also draw the attention of architects to put in place structures that would favor them, especially those using wheelchairs and those who are blind.
She indicated that to promote accountability and reduce corruption, she was prepared to declare her assets to the public.
After the debate, the two candidates took turns to advise the electorate to comport themselves on the December 7 general election for peace to continue to prevail after the polls.
Source: GNA
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