A recent exchange on the “Hot Issues” WhatsApp group saw Comrade Martey of the NDC criticizing the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their perceived lack of notable achievements, sparking a fiery debate among members.
In a post spotted on the group on Saturday, 8th June at exactly 9:36pm, Comrade Martey chided the NPP, questioning their accomplishments. He listed major projects such as the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3, Kejetia Market Phase 1, Kumasi Airport Phase 1, Meridian Port, Ameri Plant, and Atuabo Gas Plant, suggesting that if the NPP had constructed these, they would have invited BBC journalists to highlight their successes.
Martey further challenged the impact of the NPP’s One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative, asking, “Sometimes I ask myself how many of us here have purchased something from the 1D1F factories NPP claims they’ve constructed?” He concluded by calling the NPP a “funny party.”
In response, Genius Mark Ofori, an NPP communicator, rebuffed Martey’s claims with a hint of sarcasm. “When Alan Kyeremateng was leaving NPP, he took away all the factories built by the NPP government,” Ofori remarked, explaining the perceived inactivity of the 1D1F initiative. He added that the existence of a plywood factory in Sefwi Wiawso negated the need for another factory in the same area, highlighting the government’s strategy of resource allocation.
The exchange has highlighted the ongoing political tensions and differing perspectives on the lack of NPP’s development projects especially in the Western North Region.
In my opinion, Mark’s argument comes across as rather immature. The existence of a plywood factory in Sefwi Wiawso doesn’t preclude the establishment of additional factories in the same town. After all, cities like Accra, Kumasi, and Tema host multiple factories. Moreover, the plywood factory in Sefwi Wiawso is privately owned, not a government facility. Introducing more factories in a particular town can create numerous opportunities for economic growth and employment. Therefore, Mark’s argument lacks substance and falls flat. Martey’s points are more convincing in this debate.