Residents of Teshie in the Ledzokuku Municipality of the Greater Accra Region are full of praise for their member of parliament Hon. Benjamin Ayiku for his efforts in bringing developments to all electoral areas in the constituency. Although he is the first MP of the constituency whose party has not formed the government of the day, the MP is striving hard for his constituents.
Five (5) sectors that he is doing creditably well are; Health, Infrastructure, Education, Agriculture, and Security.
1. HEALTH
As Mahatma Gandhi stated, “it is health that is the real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver” it is against this background that the MP has been supportive of his constituents regarding health issues, such as payment of medical bills, visiting the sick, and providing items to support some of them.
In his first three (3) months in office, he provided street lights to LEKMA Hospital and also donated equipment to help in the mainstream administrative duties of the hospital. The Hon. MP also donated office equipment to the health directorate to augment effective health delivery in the municipality.
Furthermore,he has secured a parcel of land which he has designated for the construction of a Polyclinic within the Constituency to expand access to quality healthcare for residents living in and other adjoining communities.
He has again made the necessary arrangements with authorities to have the Camp 2 Community Health Post which is now used for non-health related operations revert to its original and purposeful usage.
2.INFRASTRUCTURE
He has provided foot bridges to constituents who find it difficult to conveniently access nearby vicinities. Areas that benefited from these bridges include Tsuibleoo South Electoral Area (Muji Park), Akro West Electoral Area (Epasco), and Estate North Electoral Area (Composite Plant). Plans are far advanced to provide similar foot bridges in some other electoral areas. The MP continues to help in mitigating floods around the flood-prone areas in the Constituency by providing good drainage systems at Tebibiano, Yomo Specs, okpoigonno, sutsurunor, tsuibleoo south, Rasta etc.
He has facilitated the refurbishment of some schools in the constituency.
With his personal grader he undertakes periodic grading of roads that are not motorable in the constituency.
Through effective lobbing the Yoomo Specs storm drain and the GNAT hostel vehicular bridge have been fixed.
3. EDUCATION
The honorable MP believes the engine of growth is education, hence his passion to support educational activities in the Constituency. The MP organized and financed the municipal mock exams for all final year students in the constituency for the past years. He distributed Mathematical Sets to students who sat for the Mock Papers and B.E.C.E Examinations in 2021 and 2022. He printed and distributed four thousand (4,000) exercise books to the students. It is against this backdrop that the municipal education office honoured him in recognition of his unwavering support and commitment towards the delivery of education in the municipality.
Again, he supported some of the youth to acquire various skills at the National Vocational and Training Institute(NVTI). Plans are far advanced to secure student desks for Dar’es Salaam School in the Estate South Electoral Area to help with teaching and learning.
He also provided support for the Best Teacher/worker Award ceremony in constituency.
4. AGRICULTURE
The MP did not shy away from Agriculture. He has been very supportive of the Farmer’s Day Celebrations in the Constituency. He donated fridges in support of the celebrations in both 2021 and 2022.
He provided seed capital and top quality plastic fish crates to the Fisher Folks in the Constituency. He also provided streetlights to illuminate the environment to avert crimes at night.
During their socialization and merry-making activities, the MP usually donates food items and cash to support them.
5. SECURITY
A total of over 2,000 Street Lights were provided to electoral areas to brighten up the Constituency to curb the increasing crime rate within the Constituency.
The MP has never left out the security concerns of his constituents. He motivates all the security services to keep them up to the task. He procured desktop computers, printers, air-conditioners, and a projector for the Fire Service office in the Constituency. This was done to support them in their official duties.
He has been supportive of the WASA (West Africa Social Activities) celebrations of the Military. Regular donations include cattle and cash.
He gives cattle to the Police sub-stations in the Constituency and its neighboring communities namely; Teshie, Kpeshie (Nungua), and Manet during the Christmas festivities.
During a fire outbreak disaster in 2022, he gave Ghs5000.00 to both Martey Tsuru and Manet.
SOME COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS
The MP has not hesitated to support the traditional authorities. He is working with the Traditional Council to help foster unity among the people.
He does special donations including items such as maize, oil, fish, drinks, and huge sums of money to the Traditional Authorities during the Homowo festival celebrations.
He participates in “Ngowaa” during the Festive season and usually donates assorted drinks and an undisclosed amount of money to over seventy (70) family homes. He supported Teshie Old Stars with items such as boots, sports kits, food, etc. He provided construction equipment to support the leveling of Teshie Salem Square Park to make it more convenient and suitable for its purpose.
He supportes Teshie Kpaashimo groups with assorted drinks and money. The best song of Kpaashimo Lala organized by Teshie Presby was given an undisclosed amount by him.
Some potholes were also patched up in the town during the festival. Streetlights were also provided purposely for the festival.
SANITATION Sanitation is one of the major problems in the Greater Accra Region and Ledzokuku is not excluded, the Honorable MP in partnership with the Chinese Herbal Medicine group provided hundred mobile places of convenience to help ease sanitation problems in the communities. He also supported youth groups financially to undertake periodic clean up exercises in the municipality.
YOUTH AND EMPLOYMENT
The Hon. MP lobbied slots for qualified personnel to be recruited into the Fire Service, Armed forces, Police Service and the Prisons Service. He also provided startup capital to some ladies to start their own businesses. He again also provided assistance to some artisans to start their own business. He has also put in place arrangements to launch sports developments programs to assist and empower youths in sports.
Per the supra, residents say he has done well and that they are willing to give him another term if he shows interest in contesting in the 2024 general elections.