The Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi, Hon. Yusif Sulemana, has vowed to win the elections in the Bole-Bamboi constituency.
Hon. Sulemana in an interview outlined the challenges and broader national issues during the EC’s media interaction.
In a discussion marked by his resolve to address critical electoral concerns, he highlighted efforts to improve voter education, enhance transparency, and ensure peace during Ghana’s 2024 general elections.
He addressed a pressing concern in his constituency, which is the high number of rejected ballot papers recorded in previous elections. He asserted;
“I realized that we recorded over 1,000 rejected ballot papers, and that has been a worry. So that is what I am seriously working on. So that I am able to reduce the rejected ballot papers, because those rejected ballot papers directly affect the performance of my party in my constituency.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
He elaborated on the strategies being employed, including targeted voter education and community engagement.
“But I do believe that we have done so much, and we are going to reduce the rejected ballot papers. And then again, we are going to increase His Excellency John Dramani Mahama’s votes. In terms of performance, I think that I’ve done very well, but I leave judgment to our constituents.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
Hon. Sulemana expressed unwavering support for former President John Dramani Mahama. He emphasized;
“His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has also done very well, and so we expect Ghanaians to retain him, having compared his records with that of the NPP – I am just working hard and praying that coming December 7, Ghanaians will vote for His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
Reflections on the Electoral Commission’s Assurance
Moreover, he welcomed the Electoral Commission’s (EC) commitment to make 2024 remarkable in Ghana’s history. He emphasized;
“The issue of the EC giving us assurance that they’re going to conduct one of the best elections this year is of interest to every one of us in this country -It is good to hear, but we all want to emphasize that they should walk their talk. They should be free and fair in whatever they do and they should also consult major stakeholders in order to ensure that they get the buy-in of everybody.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
Also, he commended the EC over a change of decision. He added;
“The earlier directive they gave where they were going to restrict reportage by selecting some media houses was very unfortunate. I’m happy they have rescinded [that] decision. What were they trying to hide? Allow journalists to report accurately. What they should be insisting on is telling journalists to report what is happening on the ground and not to fabricate stories.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
However, in addressing the reported deployment of military personnel to electoral flashpoints. He emphasized;
“We are all interested in the security of this country before, during, and after the elections. If there’s any intelligence that suggests the need for the military to come in, why not? But we must all be part of the process of ensuring that even when the military are put at these places, they don’t serve the interest of any political party.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
Recalling past instances of military involvement in elections, he expressed concerns about potential excesses.
“I was told somewhere along the line that the Savannah Region is a violence-prone area. And I was just wondering, is it the whole of Savannah Region or some specific places? And what criteria are they using to select these violence-prone areas? All these things must be made clear.
If these issues are made clear, for me, I do not think it’s bad if they think their presence will ensure there’s peace [and] transparency.”
Hon. Yusif Sulemana Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi
However, he highlighted that looking at what happened previously, sometimes one tends to have reservations when the military is coming in, and that in actual fact, it should have been the work of the police.
Hon. Yusif Sulemana’s remarks underscore his dedication to addressing electoral challenges within his constituency and his commitment to a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process in strengthening Ghana’s democracy.
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