Residents in the Fanteakwa North Constituency in the Eastern Region, especially those in farming communities and Begoro are appealing to delegates in the Constituency primary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to vote for Barbara Makara-Maccugen as parliamentary Candidate for the party in the Constituency.
Barbara, popularly known as ‘Obaatanpa’, is the only female among five candidates contesting in the primary scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
According to the residents, they are eager to vote for Barbara in the December 2024 elections and to increase the votes of NPPs.
They said the fortunes of the NPP in the Constituency had been dwindling over the years due to a lack of significant development projects in deprived communities across the constituency.
They believe Barbara, with a development-printed disposition and motherly care, is the best candidate for the job.
The residents, who spoke to newsmen at the weekend, noted that although Barbara is not yet a Member of Parliament (MP), she has initiated many policies and development projects to improve the living standards of the constituents.
They include setting up an office in the constituency to engage with and address the needs of, the people.
Other policies are on health, agriculture, education, sports and talent development, and transportation for the better of the people.
The residents believe she will do more when given the nod to become MP for the Constituency.
*Welfare Fund*
Barbara Makara-Maccugen recently launched a Ghc100,000-Welfare Fund known as ‘OBAATANPA FUND’ to assist both polling station executives and electoral area coordinators in the constituency.
According to her, the fund will start with a seed capital of Ghc50,000 and an additional Ghc50,000 will be invested when she is elected as MP.
Furthermore, there will be an annual top-up of Ghc10,000 as long as she remains an MP to support delegates in various ways.
Barbara Makara-Maccugen, who is No. 3 on the ballot, is competing against the incumbent, Kwabena Amankwa Assiamah, Kwame Appiah Kodua, Rev Dr David Twum Antwi and Gabriel Kese-Yeboah.
Barbara gave the assurance that she would remain
committed to the developmental needs of the area.
“For those who have served the party for many years, it is part of my plans to reward long service in the party. I will introduce a long service award scheme for them because whatever work you do, you must enjoy the fruits of your labour. But for your long service and sacrifices for the party, we would not be able to get where we are,
“So those who have served for 10 years and more, you will be rewarded when you give me the nod to become MP,” she said.
She said when given the nod to become MP, she would roll out a community intervention project aimed at improving various deplorable roads in farming communities, enhancing quality education, youth empowerment, and healthcare.
She further gave assurance that under her tenure as MP, she would help secure scholarship opportunities for brilliant students in the Constituency.
Barbara pledged to prioritize women’s empowerment and noted that she would not be intimidated because of her gender, pointing out that she would work hard to ensure a huge improvement in the party’s electoral fortunes.
Profile of Barbara
Barbara Makara-Maccugen is an entrepreneur and has considerable experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked with some public and private institutions over the years.
In her stints with the public and private sectors, she held managerial and top positions, underlining her wealth of experience in both sectors.
Barbara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies – First Class (Honours) from Wisconsin International University College, Ghana, and a Master of Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
While at Wisconsin, she served as the President of the Communication Students Association (COMSA) in her final year and Class Representative for her class.
The quality of service she rendered in both positions attests to her fine leadership qualities.
Barbara has, undoubtedly, paid her dues to the NPP in the Fanteakwa North Constituency, and her quest to contest for the primary and, ultimately, the parliamentary seat, is born out of her infinite desire to serve the party at a higher level and a clarion call by the constituents for her to represent them in Parliament.
