It is almost two years since Hon. Barbara Asher Ayisi was sworn in as a member of Parliament for the Cape Coast North Constituency. Having convincingly defeated a strong and well resourced politician, Hon Kobby Akyeapong who was the candidate for the NDC in 2016, the overwhelming endorsement of the candidature of Hon Barbara by the constituents was an indication that the message by the then NPP candidate went down well with the people of the constituency.
The PR-Team, which assesses first time MPs performances, went to Cape Coast North to assess the performance of Hon Barbara Asher Ayisi, the MP for the Constituency and Deputy Education Minister in TVET. The results indicate that, Hon Barbara is doing extremely well. The PR-Team conducted a survey across the various communities in the Constituency. About 1,834 constituents were interviewed and 156 persons from Cape Coast South were also interviewed in order to have a fair rating. Out of the 1,834 people interviewed, 1,712 gave the lawmaker an average mark of 81% in terms of performance and the remaining gave her 68%. The 156 persons from her neighbour constituency rated the lawmaker an average mark of 75%. When asked the reasons for this high rating of the first time lawmaker, the interviewees stated reasons including the human empowerment programs the MP has done and among others.
The PR-Team noted that Hon Barbara Asher Ayisi is the first MP to establish entrepreneurial centre to equip constituents with skills. Hon Barbara has established a training centre in collaboration with the Cape Coast Technical University and this is known as Cape Coast North Entrepreneurial Training (CCNET). The training centre equips people in Bakery, Decoder Installations, Hairdressing, Beads making, etc. The PR-Team was told that over 200 persons have so far benefited from this program without paying a pesewa. The people cited that giving one a skill is a lifetime empowerment and they are very excited to have such an initiative coming from the first time lawmaker. They believed that the youth must gain a skill in order to make a living and this program is necessary to help them and their parents in paying for training.
It is again said that the Cape Coast North Lawmaker and Deputy Education Minister is extending the training centres to door steps of the constituents. The MP is said to be partnering a German NGO known as OIC-International to establish a number of training centres in some communities in the constituency to train the people at their localities for free. This is said to reduce cost of transportation.
In addition, Hon Barbara Asher Ayisi is said to have given out interest free loans to women in her constituency to start/expand their businesses. This is said be a historical intervention by the MP.
Hon Barbara further lobbied for permanent jobs for people in the constituency. PR-Team is made to know that over two hundred permanent jobs in the various sectors have been lobbied for constituents by the lawmaker. Over six hundred constituents have also been engaged in Youth in Afforestation and the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) program as well as others who are engaged by the Youth Employment Authority through the effort of the MP.
The PR-Team has again been noted that the visibility of the member of Parliament in the constituency cannot be matched. According to the constituents, the MP visits the constituency every two weeks and in some cases every weekend. This is unimaginable of a parliamentarian and a deputy minister. The people also mentioned that they heard the MP lobbied for the construction of some major roads in the constituency and this tells them the lobbying power of the lawmaker since the past MPs could not lobby for such roads to be constructed.
The Cape Coast South constituents who were also interviewed reigned praises on the Cape Coast North lawmaker for the wonderful achievements she has chalked so far and they wished she is their MP. Even though, they said some of their constituents are benefiting from the good works of the Cape Coast North Lawmaker, they still wish they have her or wish to have similar projects ongoing in their constituency as well.
The Cape Coast North Constituents believed that with Hon Barbara Asher Ayisi as the MP, Cape Coast North and Cape Coast at large will be a place where others will emulate from. They wish Hon. Barbara Asher Ayisi continue to do the good works she is doing for the constituents so far and Ghana at large.
PR-Team upon further investigations on the projects said to be embarking on by the Hon MP and Deputy Education Minister came to a conclusion that Hon Barbara Asher Ayisi is the best MP Cape Coast North ever had and when these programs and more of such continue, the constituency will become one of the strongholds for the New Patriotic Party.
Written by:
Joseph Owusu
Leader, PR-Team
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