The Deputy Director of the Afro-Sino Centre of International Relations (ASCIR), a pan-African think tank and research centre headquartered in Accra – Ghana, has picked nomination forms to contest the Kintampo South Parliamentary race on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Mr. Arhin Acheampong, a US-trained international security and development professional who started his career in the United States as a Deputy Project Manager for the Frederick S. Pardee Centre for International Futures has been instrumental in shaping Africa-China relations on the continent through research. He is a resource person on Africa-China relations and has provided insights on Afro-Sino relations on international platforms like the Atlantic Council and BBC NewsDay among others.
Mr. Acheampong joins an incredible list of young professionals who have expressed interest in serving as parliamentarians on the ticket of the NDC. As a pan-African and party faithful of the NDC, Mr. Acheampong, in an engagement with some members of the media expressed his desire to contribute to ‘Building the Ghana we Want’ and in essence, advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063 – ‘The Africa we Want.’
As part of his short term goals, the Kintampo South parliamentary aspirant seeks to unite the constituency under one umbrella to reclaim their lost seat from the New Patriotic Party through a youth-led agenda. He intends to empower branch, ward and constituency structures to enable them work effectively as an organized party. The goal, according to the young scholar, is to reclaim the lost seat as well as ensure victory for President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming general elections.
When asked about his plan for the constituency and the country, Mr. Acheampong shared four priority programs, projects and policies that he hopes with the leadership of President John Mahama, his constituents and the country could benefit from. One is to support efforts to establish a tertiary institution in the constituency. He explained that the benefits of having a tertiary institution in the constituency be it a teachers’ training college, nursing and midwifery school or satellite university campus is immeasurable. He reiterated the economic and social benefits of such projects citing direct and indirect employments as side benefits in addition to the quality education constituents and Ghanaians would receive. The second is the advancement of smart agriculture in the constituency. The Kintampo South Constituency is one of the breadbaskets of Ghana which produces tons of yams, cashew and corn. He believes that when the agricultural value chain in the constituency is enhanced, the entire country stands to benefit. “We can start by first fixing the Apesika, Amoma and Cherehin roads that connect farm produce to the market. President Mahama started the construction of some of these roads, but they were abandoned by the current administration. We must come and finish what was started,” he said. Youth employment and tourism were the other two priority areas he touched on.
Mr. Acheampong is confident about his chances at winning the parliamentary primaries as well as the victory of President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming elections. As a true son of the constituency and African who is passionate about the growth and potential of the continent, he admonished the public to support young people who have offered themselves to serve their constituents, country and continent.
In concluding his encounter with the media, Mr. Acheampong closed with this quote, “the terrain is not favorable for young professionals and politicians but with the right support and leadership, African youth can, and will shape the Africa we Want.”
