Hon Joana Cudjoe Pushes Back Against Social Media Attacks, Unveils Long-Term Development Vision for Amenfi Central
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi Central, Hon Joana Gyan Cudjoe, has appealed to residents to reject unverified social media allegations and judge her performance by evidence, projects and measurable results, as she outlines a 13-to-20-year development roadmap for the constituency.
She called for a more constructive approach to development, urging constituents to focus on solutions rather than political attacks and what she described as misinformation circulating on social media.
In a strongly worded message to the people of Amenfi Central, the MP said she welcomed genuine criticism and accountability but cautioned residents against accepting allegations simply because they were repeatedly circulated on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp.
“Ask for evidence. Verify before believing. Verify before sharing,” she said, urging constituents to visit communities, speak with beneficiaries and assess projects and interventions before reaching conclusions.
According to her, the election is over, and her attention is now focused on securing solutions and delivering development projects for the constituency.
‘I inherited these problems’
The MP acknowledged the scale of the development challenges confronting Amenfi Central, including poor roads, inadequate healthcare and educational infrastructure, unreliable electricity, poor network connectivity, water shortages, unemployment and inadequate government services.
She argued that many of these challenges had accumulated over decades and could not realistically be eliminated within a single year.
“I have been your Member of Parliament for only about one year. Many of these problems have accumulated over approximately 32 years,” she said.
She, however, stressed that the historical nature of the challenges should not be used as an excuse for inaction.
“I did not create these problems, but I accept responsibility for helping to solve them. And the work has started.”
MP highlights interventions in first year
Hon Joana Cudjoe said her first year in office had been focused on laying the foundation for broader development, including facilitating opportunities for more than 300 graduates and non-graduates.
She said her office had also supported teachers and educational initiatives, assisted students with educational needs, pursued schools, boreholes, CHPS compounds and other community projects, supported women, businesses and farmers, and assisted constituents requiring medical treatment and surgeries.
She added that she had also committed personal resources to some interventions while lobbying government for larger projects beyond the financial capacity of an individual MP.
“One year cannot complete the transformation — but one year can demonstrate that change has started,” she stated.
Five priority areas
The MP identified roads, telecommunications and internet connectivity, electricity, healthcare and education as the five most urgent areas requiring sustained attention.
She said better roads were critical to agriculture, education, healthcare, business and investment, while improved telecommunications infrastructure was necessary for education, banking, healthcare, emergencies and participation in the digital economy.
On healthcare, she called for improved CHPS compounds and health centres, better hospitals, medical equipment, ambulances, medicines and adequate accommodation for health professionals.
She also proposed that the long-term development plan should professionally assess the need for strategically located major hospitals or upgraded facilities across Amenfi Central, including a target of about five major facilities where justified.
In education, she said the constituency must look beyond classrooms to teacher accommodation, laboratories, libraries, computers, internet connectivity, electricity, water, sanitation, teaching materials and technical workshops.
She further called for appropriate hostels and boarding facilities as secondary and tertiary education expands, arguing that children should have better opportunities to progress from basic education into professional and university-level training closer to home.
Call for stronger government presence
Hon Joana Cudjoe also called for government services to be brought closer to residents, saying institutions such as the Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water Ltd., Lands Commission, Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, Forestry Commission, Ghana Geological Survey Authority, DVLA, Police Service, Fire Service, Ambulance Service and NADMO must have the facilities and resources necessary to serve the people effectively.
She proposed an institutional audit to determine what services are already available, what is missing, what requires renovation or expansion and which government services need to be brought closer to residents.
She said that, over time, Amenfi Central should explore establishing a Government Services and Administrative Complex to improve access to public services.
“We do not need signboards. We need solutions,” she stressed.
According to the MP, government institutions must be adequately equipped with offices, qualified personnel, accommodation, vehicles, motorbikes, technology, electricity, water, connectivity and the resources required to perform their mandates.
Staff accommodation and mobility
The MP further highlighted the need for accommodation for police officers, teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, ambulance personnel, agricultural officers, engineers and other essential workers.
She said attracting professionals to Amenfi Central would not be enough unless appropriate conditions were created to encourage them to stay.
“If professionals are posted here, we must ask: Where will they work? Where will they live?”
She also called for improved logistics and mobility for government workers because of the spread of communities across the constituency.
Natural resources must drive development
Amenfi Central’s gold, cocoa, rubber, agricultural land and other natural resources, she said, should become drivers of responsible investment, employment and sustainable development.
She called for stronger access to institutions responsible for mining, land administration, environmental regulation, taxation and forestry, while urging residents to understand the laws, licensing requirements, taxes and environmental obligations governing the use of natural resources.
“Our natural resources should support responsible investment, jobs and sustainable development while protecting our communities and environment,” she said.
Appeal to banks and investors
The MP also extended an invitation to banks, regulated financial institutions and responsible investors to consider Amenfi Central as an investment destination.
She identified agriculture and processing, mining-related services, healthcare, education, technology, housing, logistics, manufacturing and hospitality as areas with investment potential.
However, she acknowledged that investors would require an enabling environment supported by roads, electricity, water, internet connectivity, security, healthcare, education, skilled labour, housing, financial institutions and accessible government services.
“That is why everything connects,” she said.
‘One MP cannot finance this transformation alone’
Hon Joana Cudjoe stressed that the scale of development required in Amenfi Central could not be financed by an individual Member of Parliament.
She therefore called for partnerships involving the government, ministries and agencies, private sector, banks, investors, telecommunications companies, mining and agricultural companies, universities, healthcare organisations, NGOs, foundations, development partners, international organisations, philanthropists and the diaspora.
“Come and partner with us. Bring expertise. Bring investment. Bring connections. Bring technology. Bring opportunities. Bring solutions,” she appealed.
Development should transcend party politics
The MP also urged NDC and NPP supporters to unite around the development needs of the constituency.
She argued that basic development challenges affect residents regardless of their political affiliation.
“A bad road does not ask whether you are NDC or NPP. A sick child does not have a political party. Poor network affects everybody. Electricity does not choose political colours.”
She said the common enemies should be poor roads, inadequate connectivity, unreliable electricity, inadequate healthcare, poor education, water challenges, unemployment, poverty and lack of opportunity. “Let us fight the problems — not one another.”
13-to-20-year development roadmap
Hon Joana Cudjoe proposed a 13-to-20-year development roadmap for Amenfi Central, arguing that the scale of the constituency’s infrastructure and institutional needs requires sustained planning beyond a single parliamentary term.
She said the roadmap would cover roads, telecommunications, electricity, healthcare, education, water, government institutions, staff accommodation, security, jobs, agriculture, responsible mining, environmental protection, land administration, banking, housing, investment, skills development and tertiary education.
She stressed, however, that the proposed roadmap should not be interpreted as a call for residents to wait two decades for development.
“A 13-to-20-year roadmap does not mean waiting 20 years before seeing results. We start now. We work now. We lobby now. We build now.”
She said the plan should contain one-year, four-year, medium-term and long-term targets, with progress assessed annually.
Promises accountability
The MP also called for an annual assessment of the constituency’s development progress, asking residents to examine what was inherited, what was started, what was approved and funded, what had been completed, what remained ongoing and what should come next.
She proposed a clear development scorecard every four years based on facts, evidence, timelines and results. “I am not asking for time to sit down. I am asking for time to work,” she said.
‘Social media cannot build Amenfi Central’
Hon Joana Cudjoe however, urged residents to move beyond social media arguments and focus on practical development.
“TikTok arguments cannot build hospitals. Facebook insults cannot extend electricity. WhatsApp rumours cannot construct roads. Misinformation cannot create jobs.” She urged constituents with ideas, expertise, investor contacts or links to development partners to bring them forward and contribute to the development agenda.
“Don’t only tell us what is wrong — help us build what is right.”
The MP also invoked God’s guidance and support, praying for wisdom, protection, genuine development partners and responsible investors for Amenfi Central.
She said she understood residents’ frustrations and expectations but appealed to them to appreciate the magnitude of the development challenge while holding her accountable for results.
“Do not hand one woman approximately 32 years of accumulated problems and expect everything to disappear in one year. Allow the plan to work — and then measure the results.”
She further called for unity and a shared development vision, declaring:
“This is bigger than Joana Gyan Cudjoe. This is bigger than NDC or NPP. This is Amenfi Central.”
She further called for “one people, one vision, one roadmap, one stronger Amenfi Central,” stressing that the development agenda should be designed not merely for the next election, but for the next generation.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
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