Racecourse Market traders in the capital of Ashanti region have fumed out their intentions of not voting for the New Patriotic Party in the 2024 general elections due to their bad economic governance.
In a press conference organized by the market women on 15 July, 2024, registered their total disappointed in the current ruling political party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) for failing to prioritize all facets of development and improving the standard of living of the people of Ashanti.
However, the sentiments of the market women emanated from the back of the strategic appointment of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the running mate of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party for the upcoming general elections.
According to Madam Christabel Amoah, who is the spokesperson for the market women raised serious concerns over stunted government projects which would have had positive ripple effect on their lives as traders. She mentioned stalled projects like the Kumasi Central Market and the Krofrom Market.
“We don’t have a proper place to use us our market. We live in water. Racecourse has been deserted. We stay under the sun from morning till dusk for our daily bread. Sometimes we are overrun by vehicles and some even lose their lives through it.”
Madam Christabel Amoah further voiced out bitterly with respect to the neglection they have faced from the government of the day. She further isolated Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, claiming his many years of being a legislator for a constituency in the Ashanti region has not aided in anyway to find solutions for the completion of the abandoned government projects therefore, his appointment is meaningless to them as traders.
“NAPO has been MP for 16 years and the abandoned Krofrom Market is in his constituency so we expected him to fix it so we could use it but he didn’t. And we don’t expect him to address our problems at this juncture when he has been as running mate.
“A lot has happened in our market including fire outbreaks but there has been not a single instance where he has come to us to share in our problems to help solve them,” she said.
More so, Madam Christabel Amoah announced that, the traders will abstain from voting for the New Patriotic Party in the general elections without considering the NAPO factor.
“If Bawumia thinks we will vote for him because he is from the Ashanti Region, then he should forget about it. We are no more going to vote based on where we come from but rather who can bring development to Ashanteman,” Madam Christabel Amoah added.