Exactly one year ago, I took the Oath of Office as a Member of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, representing the chiefs and people of the Ketu North Constituency. The moment was deeply ceremonial, yet I was fully conscious of the weight of responsibility that the Oath placed on my shoulders.
A year on as many others celebrate recounting the nostalgia of the day, I choose reflection grounded in accountability and results.
The precincts of Parliament were not entirely unfamiliar to me. I had previously served there while working with Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. However, the experience was markedly different this time. I entered not as an assistant to a Member of Parliament but as a legislator entrusted with a mandate from the people. That distinction brought with it a profound sense of duty.
Long before entering Parliament, I understood the demands of the job. I watched my former boss give his last pesewa to constituents. I witnessed sleepless nights, personal sacrifice and relentless commitment to the people of North Tongu. Most importantly, I learnt that Parliamentary representation is far from glamorous for those who intend to make a real impact. It is often a thankless task. I have said this quietly to my wife and close friends. Yet it is also deeply fulfilling when one can sleep with a clear conscience, knowing that you gave your very best.
The Journey
My journey to Parliament began with a severe test of conviction and loyalty to the party. I faced one of the most difficult primaries. I have always been a fighter and never expected an easy path but the level of opposition I encountered exceeded all expectations. Many whom I anticipated would support me turned away. Very few believed I stood a chance.
Opinion polls, whether deliberately skewed or otherwise, carried a consistent message that Edem Agbana could not win. I vividly recall a senior party official summoning me two weeks to the Election and asking me to step down or face consequences. I was told that even if the party won, I would never be considered for any meaningful appointment. My response was simple and unwavering- God is the Lifter of men.
I emerged from the primaries as the winner by a single vote. It was a powerful reminder that in a democracy, every voice counts and every mandate must be earned with every thumb important to that mandate. Although I was confident I had won legitimately by that single vote, the matter travelled to the National Headquarters of the party for final determination. The evidence proved that that singular winning vote cast in my favour was legitimately earned and counted. A master stroke from God himself.
After the issue was settled, our immediate challenge became managing the false narratives that followed the primaries. These narratives were quickly weaponised by the opposition and used as ammunition for the general election. Party leadership advised restraint. I was encouraged to endure the misrepresentations without reopening wounds. The victor, I was reminded, must always be magnanimous.
One vote. In a democracy, such a margin is both fragile and sacred. What emerged from that experience was not entitlement, but clarity. If one vote could make the difference, then every voice in Ketu North mattered, and still matters.Winning the primaries was only the beginning. The real task was reunification. Bringing everyone back to the table for a common purpose was essential. Winning a primary election against the odds is difficult. Uniting a divided front afterwards is even more demanding.
Egos had to be buried and pride had to be set aside. The party could not afford disappointment and the constituency could not afford division. A divided front cannot win a general election, let alone govern effectively. I deliberately chose unity over celebration. We reached out, we listened, we reconciled and where necessary, we disagreed honestly and regrouped deliberately.
By the peak of the general election campaign, Ketu North had become a model of unity. Constituency executives, branch executives, volunteers, and stakeholders committed themselves fully to the task ahead. They gave far more than was required. In truth, they gave everything.
The people responded with an emphatic mandate of over 87 percent in the general election. It was an endorsement not just of a candidate, but of a new approach to leadership grounded in engagement, respect, and solutions. Our campaign was research driven and people centred. It was slower, more demanding and more costly. We walked. We listened. We explained. We returned repeatedly. It was exhausting work but it was honest work.
From the first day in office, there has been no pause. Governance, for us, is not ceremonial. It is practical and solution-oriented. It demands urgency, presence, and delivery. There was no honeymoon period for the team and I.
As we mark one year in office, I remain profoundly grateful to God, the Lifter of men, and to everyone who has contributed to this journey. I am especially grateful to my family, our financiers, party executives at all levels, volunteers, and the young people who continue to sacrifice selflessly for the Ketu North Project.
Inside Parliament
Parliament has been an intensive learning experience. The Chamber and its politics have taught me Parliamentary nuance more than my entire four years of studying political science. Every day presents a new lesson. As a young Member of Parliament serving under Right Honourable Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, a titan of our Parliamentary democracy, I consider it one of the greatest privileges to have the invaluable leadership of such a colossus.
As a backbencher, I remain focused on learning the ropes and mastering the nuances of Parliamentary work. My approach has been guided by a simple set of principles; be prepared. Be present. Be purposeful. Representation is not just about a seat, but about using the seat effectively. Through committee work, legislative engagement and policy advocacy, I have consistently projected the interests of my beloved Ketu North Constituency.
In the Constituency
At the constituency level, we have remained firmly connected to the people. Together, we have recorded progress across key areas.
In Education, through our flagship scholarship scheme, over GHc1.3 million has been disbursed by way of scholarship support to 420 brilliantly deserving tertiary students, 7 GETFund secured projects across communities in the constituency with infrastructure and equipment rehabilitation especially in ICT education. We have donated laptops to Senior High Schools and supported Any education-related initiatives.
To build resilient communities in Ketu North, we have supported over 45 community development projects at various stages of completion.
On health, all our major health centers and facilities have received one support or the other being it donation of hospital equipment or upgrading of facilities. We have also partnered with some NGOs to Organize several health outreach programs with thousands of constituents directly benefiting from these interventions. Over 900 have benefited from our free eye surgeries intervention.
In Water and Sanitation issues, significant progress has been made with the provision of mechanized boreholes in 20 communities and the supply of 5,000 Litres Capacity poly tanks to 15 communities.
In the area of Agriculture and Environmental Management our farmers have benefitted from several intitiaves ranging from supply of over 7000 bags of fertilizers to others. Through strategic lobbying we have now established for the first time in the history of Ketu North, a Municipal Secretariat of the Environmental Protection Agency to work to decentralize the protection of our environment for the benefit of the good inhabitants of Ketu North.
To light up the Constituency for safety and security in the night, the #LightUpKetuNorth project has seen the initiation of functional street lights on major roads and streets. In the last 12 months we also made progress on our our advocacy for major roads in the constituency to be reshaped, with many of our roads featuring keenly in the national budget.
Human Capital Development has been a major focus and in this direction, the recently launched Ketu North Skills and Apprenticeship Program (KN SAP) providing TVET skills and apprenticeship support to a targeted 500 young persons, with several job placement also secured for many qualified young people.
Those with sporting and creative talents have also found a place to hone and develop these talents. With our scouting programs and support for grassroot football the last 12 months have seen many young persons positively impacted in sports. We also built upon what has become Volta Region’s biggest annual musical concert with the #EdemAgbanaCarnival bringing mainstream artistes together with upcoming talents on one stage for exposure, reach and impact. The continuous rise of Nature Drip and Real Keddy are bright examples of what the carnival represents.
Continuous engagement has defined all the significant progress we have made. Not seasonal visibility, but sustained dialogue through markets, schools, churches, workshops, and community meetings. These engagement has shaped our priorities, corrected assumptions and strengthened trust.
Looking Ahead
It has been twelve months without rest. I say this not as a compliant but gladly as a testament of my commitment to the people I serve. Public service demands sacrifice, humility and accountability every single day. As I look ahead, I remain optimistic.
This journey has never been mine alone. It belongs to the people of Ketu North who believed during moments of uncertainty, partnered in progress, and continue to hold me to high standards.
My responsibility remains clear. To serve diligently. To lead responsibly. And to ensure that the trust placed in me delivers measurable impact for the people of Ketu North.
As we enter a new chapter, we are working assiduously to partner with development partners, institutions and individuals to deepen and scale our impact across the constituency.
The work continues.The commitment stands.
And Ketu North will keep moving forward.
By: Eric Edem Agbana, MP