Akrofuom Assembly member admonishes colleagues to adopt good lobbying skills

The Assembly member for Nana Okai electoral area in the Akrofuom district in the Ashanti Region, Douglas Fosu Mensah has advised his colleague Assembly members to develop a good lobbying skill to attract more developmental projects to their area.

Speaking to the media after a tour at his electoral area, the 41-year-old Mathematics teacher said one of the key attributes an Assembly member can poses is his/her lobbying skills.

He said “once you have been elected by your people, you quickly learn on the job by developing a good lobbying skill to inspire development in your area”.

The local government ACT 936, maintain among other things that an Assembly member shall as appropriately maintain close contact with the electoral area of the District Assembly, consult the people of the electoral area on issues to be discussed in the District Assembly, collate their views, opinions, and proposals.

Again, it states that an Assembly member shall present the views, opinions and proposals of the electorate to the District Assembly. However, the ACT does not allocate developmental functions to Assembly members.

But in Ghana, to be successful in wooing your electorates to renew one’s mandate as an Assembly member, the person must actively participate in lobbying for projects to his/her electoral area. This Hon. Douglas Fosu Mensah believed has been his trump card over the years.

Facilities

Since becoming an Assembly member, Hon. Mensah said he has been able to facilitate projects like a water closet toilet facility at Okyerekrom which was the first of its kind in the District after Akrofuom, the district capital. He said this paved the way for four more Water closet toilet facilities and additional 3 mechanised boreholes at Nyamesomede, Pompom and surrounding villages.

Project

The Assembly member for Nana Okai electoral area again spoke about the benefits of community self intiated projects. He said once the community is able to start something on their own, they can be impressed upon the District Assembly or NGOs to assist.

He said he started a JHS block at Okyerekrom with the community. “Whiles the project was ongoing, we had the support from the Assembly and a Small-scale Mining company. Currently the project is at an advanced stage with students already studying there”.

Bridge Renovation

The Assembly member whiles touting his achievements disclosed that, after realizing that the Jimi Bridge,a key bridge which connects Okyerekrom to Akrofuom had seen no major development and was fast becoming a death trap, he quicklu lobbied the DCE for the Akrofuom district who immediately came onboard to fix the bridge. He said currently students who hither to faced challenges crossing the bridge to school now do it with ease.

Again, he averred that through his lobbying skills, the Pompom and Sibriso link road which was not accessible has been made motorable aiding the transport of farm produce.

He again mentioned that during his tenure the Okyerekrom D/A and the Akrofuom D/A basic schools have all received Desks whiles work on the Okyerekrom football pitch is currently ongoing.

Hon Douglas Fosu Mensah who is seeking another term further mentioned that most of the drainage systems in his area has been fixed including sikaduase and palace drainage systems have all been worked lending credence to his ability to attract developmental projects to his area.

He called on Assembly members not to see themselves as only law makers or representatives of the people but an agent of development to persuade the Assemblies and other bodies to bring projects to their area.