Dr. John Kingsley Kurugu(in smock)
One of the persons seeking to represent the New Patriotic Party in the Zebilla Constituency at Bawku West Constituency of the Upper East Region, Dr. John Kingsley Kurugu, says he has what it takes to defeat the NDC’s Cletus Avoka come December 2020.
“When Cletus Avoka entered parliament, I was in secondary school and he is still contesting to go back to parliament; it shows that he has not been a good leader for this constituency and the NDC,” he said.
“All this while he could not groom anyone to step in his shoes to lead the younger generation after him. These days people, the youth are looking for someone who is willing to develop them and give them opportunities to also play leadership roles, and this why they will support me if I become the NPP’s parliamentary candidate after April 25,2020.”
Dr. Kurugu, a development worker believes that the people of the Zebilla Constituency deserves an active representation in parliament, one that is able to attract developmental projects from local and international sources.
“Zebilla has to grow beyond waiting for common fund and central government before we carry out all our development activities. We need to create international links and position our constituency well to attract developmental and capacity building support from outside. If you get a member of parliament who is connected locally and internationally, this can be achieved and this is why I am in this race,” he said.
Dr. Kurugu was speaking in an interview with the media at Zebilla after a meeting with Constituency and Polling Station Executives of the New Patriotic Party and some key members of the party, as part of activities ahead of filing his nomination form.
Aside the mandatory filing fee of GHc20,000.00, Dr. Kurugu is expected to pay additional GHc30,000.00 as development levy to the party.
Touching on the development levy slapped on persons contesting primaries in constituencies with incumbent Member of Parliament, Dr. Kurugu supported the move saying, “…the decision to pay development is not a bad idea; it was to ensure that people do not spring up from somewhere and spread money around to entice party people to vote them, to the detriment of these sitting members of parliament who invest in supporting the party at different levels.”
This is the third time Dr. Kurugu and Frank Fuseini Adongo are contesting in the Zebilla Constituency Primaries of the New Patriotic Party and both have promised another round of clean internal campaigns.
They contested in 2012, 2016 and this year, 2020.
The Zebilla Constituency Chairman of the NPP, Patrick Ayaba also in an interview has promised a level playing ground for the two aspirants and called on them to advise their supporters to also refrain from the use of insults and personal attacks in their campaigns.
FROM: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Zebilla