Dr. Michael Wombeogo, the People’s National Convention (PNC) parliamentary candidate for the Talensi Constituency, noted that fewer than 20% of the current workforce in mining companies located in Talensi are local residents, despite the availability of skilled professionals in the area.
He stated that he would engage with the mining companies to ensure that local residents are prioritized for job opportunities rather than hiring individuals from outside the area.
“The mining companies can employ not less than four thousand to five thousand people at the present time. We don’t know what the future holds. If I tell you that Talensis who are employed there currently are not up to 20 percent, it would shock you. But Talensi has all the calibre of professionals and labor that the mining companies need. When I come, I’m going to sit with them, and we will strike a balance.”
In an interview on A1 Radio, Dr. Wombeogo stressed that, in addition to economic concerns, he prioritizes the health and well-being of the people, as well as basic education. He addressed pressing issues in the healthcare and education sectors.
He criticized the current state of Tongo Hospital, describing it as inadequate for the district’s needs, and vowed to advocate for the establishment of a fully equipped hospital. He also expressed alarm over the conditions in local schools, where inadequate facilities force students to learn in uncomfortable and unsafe environments.
“It’s so worrying that you’ll get to some of our basic schools and some of the roofs are missing, windows are broken, and there is no furniture for the students.”
Dr. Wombeogo expressed confidence in his ability to effect change, asserting that many of these challenges are solvable. “My ambitions are bold. Fortunately for me, I see them as achievable. And one of them is that if you look at Talensi, for example, we have what we call Tongo Hospital, but when you go there, it is just an improved health center.”
He criticized the existing leadership, questioning the effectiveness of current officials and attributing the lack of progress to a combination of neglect and greed. “What exactly is leadership doing? It’s not that the leaders we have are incapable, no. Our MP is a capable person; our DCE is a capable person. The question is, why is it not done? It’s not done because, one: they have refused to do it; two: they do not know how to do it; and three: they are greedy. These are the evils that Dr. Wombeogo is coming to expose.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Bolgatanga
