The Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, has urged residents to put development above partisan political considerations and make full use of projects intended to improve their lives.
He said development initiatives should not be rejected or neglected simply because they were introduced or facilitated by a politician belonging to a different political party.
Hon. George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South,
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan made the call at Ekon, a fishing community in the Cape Coast South Constituency, where he commissioned a community library to provide children with improved access to educational resources.
The Ekon Community Library is the first public library facility in the constituency and is expected to serve children in Ekon and neighbouring coastal communities.
The facility is intended to provide access to books, learning materials, digital resources and supervised after-school academic support, while also encouraging children to develop regular reading habits.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mr. Ricketts-Hagan said the facility is designed to serve as more than a conventional library.
He explained that it would function as a community learning centre where children could read, conduct research, access digital learning resources and receive additional academic support after school.
“This facility is more than just a library; it is a building like a crèche. Our children will attend after school, and teachers will be stationed here to improve their learning,” he said.
According to the MP, the facility has been stocked with books and other learning materials to meet the educational needs of children in the area.
He therefore appealed to parents and guardians to encourage their children to regularly patronise the library and take advantage of the opportunities it provides.
A major part of Mr. Ricketts-Hagan’s message is a call for residents to separate community development from partisan politics.
He expressed concern over suggestions that some residents could refuse to allow their children to use the facility because it was initiated by an MP belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), while they personally supported other political parties.
He said such an approach would ultimately deny children access to a facility created for their benefit.
The MP stressed that his responsibility as a representative of the constituency is to attract development and improve opportunities for residents, regardless of their political affiliations.
“As your MP, my work is to bring development to the community. So, if I lobby to bring development and you refuse to use it, it does not sound well,” he stated.
He maintained that public development projects should not be regarded as the property of the political party or politician who facilitated them.
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan consequently urged residents of Ekon and the wider Cape Coast South Constituency to take ownership of the library and ensure that it served its intended purpose.
He said the success of the facility would depend not only on the availability of the infrastructure but also on the willingness of residents to use, protect and maintain it.
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan disclosed that he personally funded the library project as part of a campaign promise he made during the elections.
He explained that the decision to establish the facility was driven by the need to improve educational opportunities for children in coastal communities, where access to public learning facilities could be limited.
The library is expected to provide children with a conducive environment for reading, research and supervised learning, particularly after school.
The MP said the facility could also help expose children to educational materials and digital resources that might otherwise be difficult for them to access within the community.
He encouraged parents to see the library as an investment in the future of their children and to actively support its use.
The Chief of Ekon, Nana Kwame Edu Ababio II, commended Mr. Ricketts-Hagan for providing the facility to the community but appealed to the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly to ensure adequate security for the library.
Nana Kwame Edu Ababio II, Chief of Ekon
He expressed concern that the books, computers and other learning materials could be stolen if appropriate security measures were not put in place.
Nana Kwame Edu Ababio II called for collaboration among the Municipal Assembly, traditional authorities and residents to protect the facility and preserve it for future generations.
He also urged residents to regard the library as a valuable community asset and contribute to efforts to maintain it.
The leader of the Ekon Mothers’ Association, Auntie Araba Awotee, expressed gratitude for the establishment of the library, describing it as an important addition to the community.
She said the facility would give children in Ekon an opportunity to experience the benefits of a public library and provide them with a safe and productive environment for studying after school.
According to her, the project had generated excitement among parents, who were hopeful that it would contribute to improving the educational development of children in the community.
She offered prayers and blessings for the long life and continued success of the Member of Parliament.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by the Municipal Chief Executive, traditional leaders, education officials, representatives of the Ghana Library Authority, community leaders, parents and residents.
Story by Kwame Kakraba
