The Second Deputy Whip of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, has cautioned traditional leaders against participating in sod-cutting ceremonies organized by the Akufo-Addo government within their regions this year.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ada constituency expressed skepticism about projects initiated during an election year, deeming them as potential scams due to the government’s historical inability to bring such initiatives to completion.
Following an engagement with traditional leaders in Dodowa, Accra, she emphasized the need for Ghanaians to exercise caution when presented with seemingly beneficial infrastructural developments during election seasons.
“Nobody should believe any government cutting sod in an election, and no chief should worry his head by putting on his beautiful kente cloth following any president in an election year who is about to exit power to sit and cut sod for projects; they are just scamming them.”
“We should not focus on Jean Mensa; let us focus on the branch, which is where you get the win and so protect that ballot in your branch and shine and open your eyes when it is time to do the calculation of the ballots and make sure they do the right calculation. If you take your eyes off your polling station, that is where they will scam you and steal the elections, and when it gets to Jean Mensa, whatever they brought to her is what she puts together, so protect your ballot at the polling station.”
In her statements to journalists, she urged citizens not to put their trust in any government embarking on sod-cutting activities in an election year.
She particularly discouraged chiefs from participating in such ceremonies, characterizing them as deceptive tactics employed by presidents who are about to leave office.
Madam Cudjoe went on to address supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), urging them to be vigilant and protective of their votes at polling stations to prevent any attempts at rigging.
She emphasized the importance of focusing on the local level, advising supporters to safeguard their ballots within their respective branches.
According to her, the key to securing a victory lies in ensuring the correct calculation of ballots at the branch level, as taking one’s eyes off the polling station could potentially lead to electoral fraud.
She also underscored the significance of scrutinizing the electoral process at the grassroots level before it reaches the attention of officials like Jean Mensa, who, in her view, simply consolidates the results provided to her.