Kwame Owusu Danso (KOD), Vice Presidential candidate for the Movement for Change, has lamented the stark contrast between the wealth of the Western Region and the poverty experienced by its people.
Speaking during his campaign tour on the 24th of October 2024 in the Wassa Amenfi East Constituency, KOD expressed his shock at the region’s severe underdevelopment and lack of opportunities, despite its immense contributions to Ghana’s economy.
“As I travel through the Western Region, I am struck by the painful irony,” KOD said. “This land makes our nation number one in gold production in Africa and seventh in the world. We’re second globally in cocoa, and the region is also rich in resources like manganese, timber, rubber, and crude oil. Yet, the people live in poverty. How can this be?”
According to KOD, the Western Region is not only the birthplace of Ghana’s first president but also a powerhouse for the nation’s economic engine, significantly contributing to gold and cocoa production.
The region’s contributions have positioned Ghana as second in Africa and fifth globally for manganese, while also producing substantial quantities of crude oil, timber, and rubber for export.
Despite these vast resources, KOD pointed out that residents still face inadequate infrastructure, limited access to quality healthcare, and scarce job opportunities.
“It deeply saddens me to witness such wealth beneath the soil and in its forests while the people who live here continue to struggle,” KOD stated. “We rank ninth in Africa in crude oil production, yet many communities suffer from unmotorable roads and a lack of accessible healthcare.”
KOD emphasized the urgent need for a new governance approach that ensures the equitable distribution of the country’s wealth, particularly to the communities where these resources are sourced. According to him, under the Great Transformational Plan (GTP), led by Alan Kyerematen, the Movement for Change aims to rectify this glaring injustice and ensure that the Western Region’s people benefit directly from their land’s wealth.
“This injustice must end. It is unacceptable for this region to be so rich in resources while its people suffer,” KOD asserted. “Through our Great Transformational Plan (GTP), we are committed to ensuring that the Western Region receives the development it deserves, focusing on improving infrastructure, creating jobs, and providing better access to essential services.”
KOD also shared that the GTP includes empowering local communities to participate in managing their resources. He affirmed the Movement’s commitment to transparency and collaboration with traditional authorities, stating, “We will work closely with the chiefs and elders to ensure that the benefits of these resources are felt by everyone.” KOD emphasized, “Our government, led by Mr. Kyerematen, will partner with the private sector and mining and timber companies in the region to build the infrastructure that the Western Region truly deserves.”
The Afrafranto Alliance, under the leadership of Alan Kyerematen and KOD, is dedicated to addressing regional disparities, with a particular focus on the Western Region. As KOD continued his tour, he reassured the people that the Movement for Change stands with them, ready to end the coexistence of wealth and poverty in their land.
Source: James Kumi-Korsah