The Damongo constituency is one of the oldest constituencies in Ghana. In the early days of Ghana’s independence, it was referred to as the West Gonja constituency comprising today’s Bole- Bamboi, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, Daboya- Mankargu and the Damongo constituencies. Before the advent of the fourth republican constitution, notable Members of Parliament for the constituency at that period were Mr. Emmanuel Adama Mahama (the biological father of former president Mahama) in the first republic, Bolewura Pontonporon Awuladese who was known in his private life as Mr. James Adam Mahama in the second republic and Mr. Yakubu Saaka in the third republic. The fourth republic has produced Mr. Alhassan Aliedong, Alhaji Mahama Adam, Mr. Alex Seidu Sofo, Mr. Sammy B. Wusah, Mr. Adam Mutawakilu and Lawyer Samuel Abu Jinapor.
Lawyer Samuel Abu Jinapor, the current member of parliament for the Damongo constituency is the sixth (6th) member of parliament of the constituency in the fourth republic and the second(2nd) as it was re-demarcated to the Damongo constituency. Without a dot of doubt, his tenure as a member of parliament for the Damongo constituency is one of responsible, dedicative, impactful and transformative leadership and one full of dynamism thereby making him the quintessential member of parliament the Damongo constituency never had.
*Impartial leadership*
Admittedly, his tenure as a leader of the Damongo constituency is marked with impartial leadership. His good works and gestures transcend beyond party lines and other flimsy considerations. He is on record to be the member of parliament of the constituency who treats both his party supporters and that of the opposing side with the same hands. This unique attribute of him as against his predecessors earned him the accolade ‘’Maagbeto’’, a term meaning ‘non-discriminative’. He is on record to be the member of parliament of the constituency who treats his party members and that of his opponents with the same hands. His constant call for togetherness, unity and a common sense of duty among his constituents despite their political, religious and tribal lines makes him exceptional.
*Engraving the name of the Damongo constituency in gold*
As a member of parliament, he has lifted the flag of the Damongo constituency and has written in gold the name of the constituency. Before he won the parliamentary seat in 2020, all members of parliament of the constituency in the fourth republic were not seen worthy of being appointed as substantive ministers. Except the third(3rd) member of the parliament namely Mr. Alex Seidu Sofo of blessed memory who was appointed a deputy minister of roads and highways by president John Agyekum Kuffuor, the rest only added up to numbers in the various periods they represented the constituency in Ghana’s parliament. The appointment of Lawyer Abu Jinapor as a cabinet minister has not only broken the jinx that the Damongo constituency is a producer of ‘’ not fit for substantive or cabinet ministerial appointment’’ members of parliament but also a historical record as he comes to the table as the youngest ever to be appointed a cabinet minister under the fourth republican constitution of Ghana. He was appointed a cabinet minister at the age of 38 breaking Mr. Haruna Iddrisu’s record of 39 years. The young promising and enterprising member of parliament has been positively visible throughout the nation making the name of the Damongo constituency noticeable in the country. Aside from competently executing his work as a minister, he has been spectacular in his work as a member of parliament. His mastery and brilliant articulation of issues of national concern on the floor of parliament and on various media platforms sparks a good name of the Damongo constituency.
*Agricultural development*
In the area of agricultural development, Lawyer Abu Jinapor has outperformed any member of parliament of the Damongo constituency especially under the fourth republican constitution. Realizing that agriculture is the mainstay of his constituents and the challenges they face in realizing maximum productivity, he initiated “The Damongo Farmers Empowerment Program”, a program meant to among other things empower farmers in the constituency to improve agricultural productivity. Per the arrangement of the program, he personally secured tractors that ploughed two (2) acres of land for each farmer for half the fee that is charged by commercial tractor operators. The constituency is zoned into four zones, namely the Larabanga, Damongo, Canteen and Busunu Zones and a tractor assigned to each zone from the start of the farming season till it is over. Additionally, he procured and supplied to farmers farm inputs and implements such as seeds, weedicides, cutlasses, wellington boots and fertilizer to farmers.
*Support for education and Youth Empowerment.*
Another area of human endeavor that Lawyer Samuel Abu Jinapor has made notable contribution is education and youth empowerment. Recognizing the significant impact of education to human and societal development, he has been working his fingers to the bone to ensure the forward match of education in the constituency. Within the few years he has represented the constituency as its member of parliament, he has championed the development of education through the provision of infrastructure, financial support, essential logistics, organization of extra-classes and mock examinations etc. Through his personal efforts and lobbying skills communities such as Kedendelenpa, Lorto, Mempeasem, Nabori, Sor No. 1 that hitherto were without decent school facilities are provided with magnificent school buildings. He also lobbied GNPC, NDA, GETFUND and got school blocks in Busunu, Larabanga, some schools within Damongo town, Grupe, among others. He procured brand new pickups for Damongo Senior High School, Ndewura Jakpa Senior High School and the Regional Education Directorate to aid them in their official duties. Other efforts he has put up to propel development through education are; the supply of over 6,000 classroom furniture to Ghana Education Service that were distributed to schools with furniture problems, organizing of annual teachers awards, the annual organization of extra classes and mock examinations for BECE candidates, organization of extra classes for Senior High School Students during vacation, supply of bicycles to children in hinterlands of the constituency who trek on foot to access education in nearby communities, organization of a field trip for some selected basic school learners to the parliament house of Ghana, supply of food items to the three senior high schools in the constituency to augment government’s efforts, supply of sound systems to senior high schools and provision of transportation to BECE candidates outside Damongo. His lobbying skills also saw the completion of an ultramodern dining hall in NDESCO that came to a standstill in 2015, the construction of a fence wall around NDESCO and many educational projects in the DASS and NDESCO.
*Infrastructural development.*
Another milestone of his first term is his robus infrastructural development. Mindful of the fact that sustainable development relies heavily on robust infrastructure, Abu Jinapor has championed several infrastructural projects that have propelled development in the constituency. Through his lobbying skills with GNPC, NDA, GETFUND,etc , several school projects in Nabori, Larabanga, Kidendelenpa,Lorto, Busunu, Grupe, Sor No. 2, Falahiyat Primary School, Busunu, Damongo town are executed. Also, the two public senior high schools in the constituency, DASS and NDESCO received several educational projects. Historically, the constituency had its first community center in Damongo and three astro turfs, in Larabanga, Damongo amd Busunu. The Damongo weekly market have had a facelift with many stores, stalls, proper layout and drainage system. The construction of the Ngbaripe drainage system have relieved the people of the area of the stress it posed them before its construction. The member of parliament good rapport with government agenicies saw the asphalting of all the Damongo township roads and the asphalting of the forecourts of the Jakpa Palace, the administration block of Damongo senior high school, Savannah Regional Station of Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Health Service, West Gonja Municipal Assembly office complex, municipal and regional Police Commands. Whiles preparations are underway for the bigger Damongo Water Project to be executed, he has lobbied with Ghana Water Company Limited and an alternative water system is being worked on. The road network in the constituency has also received attention under his tenure. The construction of additional roads especially at the peripheries of the Damongo town has not only open up the town but given it a better layout for future development. The construction of the Murugu road, the reshaping of the Jonokponto- Sor- Atakora road that came with the construction of two big culverts along the road, the construction of the Langantere- Gbaatigbonto road among others has been tremendous .He has also connected many communities to the national grid and extended electricity to the outlets of Damongo, Larabanga, Canteen and Busunu.
*Job opportunities and economic empowerment*
The MP for Damongo constituency has been phenomenal in his quest to create and secure sustainable jobs for his constituents. Through his influence and lobbying skills, the youth of Damongo constituency got decent and sustainable jobs. It is by no mean a fact that through his efforts, some categories of job opportunities that were viewed as the prerogative of the aristocrats in Ghana are susceptible to the constituents of Damongo. To hit the nail right on the head, job opportunities in the areas of Ghana Audit Service, Ghana Minerals Commission, Ghana Lands Commission, Ghana Precious Mining Company, Ghana Forestry Commission and Ghana Boundary Commission, the security forces and others that were alien to the people of Damongo are now reachable by them. The Member of Parliament has also through the Damongo Women Empowerment Program provided financial support to business women that cushioned them in their businesses. He has also provided working tools for artisans in areas such as barbering, tailoring and dressmaking, welding, etc.
*Social and community engagement*
Another hallmark of Lawyer Samuel Abu Jinapor is his constant visitation to the constituency. Despite his busy schedule as a cabinet minister especially of the ministry of lands and natural resources whose work is enormous, he finds time to regularly visit the constituency. His visibility is noted in the constituency through his constant visits to the local communities and attendance to social events. He is noted to be the first member of parliament to out of a political season to visit homes of his constituents to directly interact with his constituents, listen to their concerns and understand their unique challenges they face and listen to their concerns. This approach of him is in direct opposite to what most big political figures who are detached from their constituencies and will only be visible during election period. His visibility is also known in his attendance to social events such as naming ceremonies, festivals, funeral rites etc.
Iddi Adam Osman
Sangayiri, Larabanga. osmaniddi20@gmail.com
