By Peter Agengre
A health professional and Director of Ayamfoya Memorial Hospital, Mr. Thomas More, has emerged as a significant contender to become the Upper East Regional representative in the new Council of State under President John Mahama.
The 74-year-old experienced health practitioner delivered his nomination forms at the regional office of the electoral commission in Bolgatanga to contest for the single slot against nine others.
Following his declaration of interest, Mr. Thomas More has already engaged with the NDC caucus in Parliament from the region, displaying his proactive approach to garnering support.
His wealth of experience as a founding member of the NDC in the Upper East Region makes him a strong candidate for the role, and his dedication to public service and strategic leadership positions him as a valuable asset for the Upper East Region.
Speaking to GBC News, Mr. Thomas More looks forward to being a strong advocate for the development of the Upper East Region in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council if elected.
“My role as a Council of State Member would focus on advising the President on key issues affecting the region. Some of these key gaps would be on areas of sanitation, road infrastructure, and agriculture. The road network in the region is very bad. We need to improve the roads linking to several communities and towns, and this would be beneficial to many farmers.” He explained.
The Council of State, a vital body of distinguished citizens, comprises one member from each of the 16 regions, appointed in accordance with regulations by the Electoral Commission under Article 51 of the Constitution. The selection process involves an electoral college made up of two representatives from each district in the region nominated by the District Assemblies, as well as 11 other members appointed by the President.
With over 30 years working for the National Democratic Congress in the Upper East Region, Mr. Thomas More states that he would not be a praise singer but would represent the needs of the people, highlighting youth development as a priority, stating that representing the voice of the disabled society would be central to his agenda.
“More so, the government is saying that he wants inclusiveness. Inclusivity means that people with disability will be included in his government. People who are marginalised will get a role to play. I will be expected to advise the president to implement programmes that will inure to the benefit of the people.”
“The Kusaug people have been advocating for peace, physical projects, and many other important development programmes. These are my focus, and I will be an advocate for such.” Mr. More revealed.
Mr. Thomas More was the chairman of the reconciliation committee in the Nabdam Constituency in 2019-2020. He was a member of the arbitration committee in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency election dispute. He is the chairman of the Kongo union of the disabled society in the Nabdam District. He is currently serving as the Regional Secretary of the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAoG).
