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Aside from the brisk trading activities in the constituency, fishing is the mainstay of the people in the New Takoradi community while the rest of the coast from the Takoradi Port is for recreational purposes .It is dotted with resorts for entertainment from the port up to African Beach through the estuary to Fonko in Ahanta West.<\/p>\n
Demographics<\/strong><\/p>\n The Takoradi constituency, with an estimated population of about also 480,000 has a mix of both formal and informal workers.<\/p>\n They include politicians, civil and public servants, teachers, traders, commercial drivers and fisherfolk.<\/p>\n The Takoradi Constituency in the Western Region, one of the oldest constituencies in the country, has seen appreciable development over the last three years.<\/p>\n However, residents have expressed varied opinions about their development needs in the constituency and called for expedited action on their two major projects and other needs.<\/p>\n Location<\/strong><\/p>\n The Takoradi constituency, which is also the commercial capital of the region, plays host to many business and industrial activities and is growing at a very fast pace.<\/p>\n It shares boundaries with Sekondi at Effia-Nkwanta and Effia-Kwesimintsim at West Tanokrom and parts of New Site.<\/p>\n Political History<\/strong><\/p>\n The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area is Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who is also the Western Region Minister. He took over as MP from Gladys Asmah in 2004.<\/p>\n The first MP for the constituency after the return to constitutional rule in 1992 was Tabitha Sybil Quaye of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) but the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 1996 elections won the seat with Mrs Asmah as the candidate, and she maintained the seat till 2004 when she bowed out of Parliament.<\/p>\n With the ongoing development in the constituency, some political watchers believe the ruling party would maintain the seat in the 2024 elections in spite of the current economic challenges but others think otherwise.<\/p>\n Voting pattern<\/strong><\/p>\n In successive elections, the NPP has won in communities such as Amanful, New Takoradi, the CBD area, Essikafoabantem Number One and Number Two, Port Quarters areas, Beach Road, Adakope, Kokompe, Windy Ridge, Airport Ridge, part of Tanokrom, among others.<\/p>\n In the 2020 general election, the NDC candidate, Fredrick Faidoo, put up a spirited performance but at the end of the elections the NPP candidate, Mr Darko-Mensah, bagged 25,968 votes representing 67.2 per cent of total votes cast while the NDC\u2019s candidate polled 12,129 votes representing 31.4 per cent.<\/p>\n NDC\u2019s view<\/strong><\/p>\n The Communications Director of the NDC, Kirk Mensah, said the interchange and the redevelopment were nothing new. \u201cThese are projects that were on the drawing board for some time,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to projects that impact the lives of the people, the NDC has a superior pedigree.\u201d<\/p>\n NPP\u2019s view<\/strong><\/p>\n Members of the NPP said the ongoing projects were a game changer for the 2024 elections and that the projects would speak for themselves.<\/p>\n Mr Darko-Mensah said, \u201cAs MP for the people of Takoradi, I would roll up my sleeves and follow every project in my constituency to make sure it is completed. Again, as the regional minister. I will follow the same projects across the region for the benefit of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n He said there was no doubt that the roads being constructed and other ongoing projects would open up many areas and stimulate economic and social development.<\/p>\n He said as an MP he had done a lot for his constituents in the area of education, health, potable water, youth empowerment programmes, road and security.<\/p>\n Residents\u2019 concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n While some traders are of the view that the link roads to the Central Business District (CBD) should be given equal attention to ensure free flow of traffic in the area the concern of fishermen has been that of lack of premix fuel for fishing.<\/p>\n The Secretary to the Chief Fisherman of New Takoradi, John Kwamena Atuaaboh, said the challenge they faced currently was lack of premix fuel. \u201cWe understand its not only us but something across the cost,\u201d he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic.<\/p>\n Asked how they were managing the situation, Mr Atuaaboh who is also a canoe owner said they had to rely on the conventional fuel stations to buy fuel for fishing activities.<\/p>\n \u201cThe truth is that we are operating at a very high cost and our fishing is not like road transport business; sometimes we go fishing and come back with nothing but debt. No catch,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cWhat the fishermen want now is special attention. Government should give us special attention, the focus has always been on the farmer, fertiliser and other subsidies, we also use inputs, which must be captured.\u201d<\/p>\n Stakeholders<\/strong><\/p>\n The Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council also added their voice to the shortage of premix fuel at the various landing beaches.<\/p>\n They attributed the shortage to the current formula used for the distribution of the premix fuel to fishermen which they alleged has been politicised.<\/p>\n An executive member of the council, Daniel Dadzie, said this in a radio programme on Media General\u2019s Takoradi based Radio Station, Connect FM\u2019s dialogue series on the theme \u201cPremix, Illegal \u201cJust look at the current make up of the premix committee. It is made up of representatives of the party of the day. It is only the Chief Fisherman that we can conveniently say is not political. So other fishermen said to be of the other divide struggle to get premix,\u201d he lamented.<\/p>\n The Western Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Joseph Yeboah, for his part stated that the Ministry of Fisheries was concerned about the supply of premix and was working tirelessly to resolve it.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I speak, we are looking at digitalising the supply of premix. What it means is that without a card one will not be able to buy the product. Unfortunately, the fishermen are not coming forward to embrace this innovation. We brought 500 cards and only 200 have so far been collected. So we are indeed concerned and working to resolve the premix issues\u201d. \u201cI am a trader here in Takoradi, but a resident of Mpintsin, near Kojokrom; coming to the shop is an uphill task, some bad portions of the road lead to slow traffic,\u201d he said. She explained that since the discovery of oil in 2007, there had been am influx of many companies in the banking, oil and gas sectors to the regional capital, hence the need to improve and expand infrastructure to keep pace with the current development.<\/p>\n Temporary market<\/strong><\/p>\n At West Tanokrom where the Jubilee Park has been converted into a temporary market, the traders said they wanted a more spacious park for their activities.<\/p>\n A trader, Madam Gifty Dadzie, told the Daily Graphic that their prayer was that work on the new market would be expedited to enable them to move back.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are exposed to the weather; we don\u2019t have enough space for customers to park their vehicles and patronise our wares, and we are also exposed to the weather,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n Youth<\/strong><\/p>\n For some of the youth, although the discovery of oil in the Western Region had put the name of Takoradi on a high pedestal, lack of jobs for the youth had become an antithesis.<\/p>\n A university graduate in procurement, May Addo, said since her graduation in 2013, she had made fruitless efforts to secure a job, and now she was selling noodles in the night for a living.
Unreported and Unregulated IUU Fishing Practices\u201d, last Wednesday, and monitored by the Daily Graphic.<\/p>\n
Sharing his thoughts on the development of the constituency, Kweku Essel, a trader, said considering that Takoradi was the main trading area for the people, it was important that roads leading to the business district were put in a good shape.<\/p>\n
Another resident of Amanful, Ekua Esaba, called for action to be expedited on the development projects ongoing in the constituency to match up with its status as the third largest city in the country.<\/p>\n
Abdulai Mohammed, a graduate in mechanical engineering, said, \u201cI am still dependent on my brothers and sometimes do other errands for people for tips for survival. I understand the challenge but now it is too much.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n