Residents of Kpongeri , a community in the Sawla- Tuna- Kalba District of the Savannah Region, are threatening to boycott this year’s December 7, general elections if government fails to provide them with electricity.
They say various governments have lied them for the past years as far as connecting them to the national grid is concerned, hence will not entertain anymore lies from politicians, especially as election approaches.
Residents of the community made this known through a press conference organized in the community today, July 21, 2020, to push the government to listen to them and provide electricity in the area.
They claim the Kpongeri community, which falls under the Sawla-Tuna – Kalba District, has been voting since 1992 yet there is nothing in the community that they can boast of.
Spokesman for the residents, Hon. Chorchitey Matthew, who addressed the press said authorities have taken the community for granted for far too long, as they have over the years not been given a fair share of the national cake in various projects by the government’s.
“We demand for our fair share of the rural electrification project from government” he said, adding if nothing was than about their request urgently, they will advise themselves come December 7.
“Kpongeri and its surrounding communities has a population of about 1,000 and a voter population of over 700 yet it is a deprived and neglected community in the region.
In view of this, we wish to bring to the attention of HE President Akufo Addo that we need our share of the national cake,” Mr Matthew said .
“We the the people of Kpongeri are telling government that enough is enough, we have suffered for so long and we are getting ourselves up prepared for resistance against the politicians if nothing is done about our plight”, Matthew indicated.
Other social amenities that are lacking in Kpongeri and its environs are teachers quarters, Junior High School block, KG block and a CHPs compound, he said.
“We have written a letter to the Savannah Regional Minister to come to our aid on the same light issue and as it stance now, there is no news on that”, Mr. Matthew lamented.
He added that several visits were made to the Hon. DCE for the Sawla-Tuna- Kalba concerning the light and other social amenities but all proved futile and hence they are given the government a three month ultimatum to provide them with their concerns or face the consequences of Kpongeri and its environs thereafter.
Abdul Nuurdeen, a student, explained that the lack of electricity is affecting them because they are unable to learn or revise their notes in the night.
The situation, he noted has resulted in poor academic performance in the area.
“We the people of Gaundo are equally joining our brothers and sisters at Kpongeri to drum to our politicians and the government that the lack of electricity and school in Gaundo in the Yipala electoral area which lies on the same stretch with Kpongeri are our major concerns, Hon. Raphael Kula, Assembly Member of Yipala electoral area told Yagbon News.
A resident of Gaundo, Dar Zorguoro, added that they will not vote in the upcoming December elections if government fails to listen to them on their demands.
Source: yagbonradioonline
