Prof. Kwesi Yankah
A total of 14 aspirants have filed nominations to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in four orphan constituencies in the Central Region.
As part of the processes to select candidates for the 2020 parliamentary elections, the party opened nominations in the four constituencies that the NPP does not have sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) and many aspirants have expressed their desires to represent the party.
The nominations for the orphan constituencies throughout Ghana were opened on 20th July 2019 and closed on Saturday, 3rd August.
At the close of nominations in the Central Region, the14 aspirants picked nomination forms and filed to contest the parliamentary primaries in the four orphan constituencies.
Constituencies
The four constituencies are Agona East, Ajumako Enyan Essiam, Cape Coast South and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem, and these seats are being occupied by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In Agona East controlled by Qeenstar Pokua Sawyerr, NPP aspirants who filed, included Prince Yaw Essah, Dr Kennedy Abrokwah and Prof. Kwesi Yankah, who is the Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education.
In Ajumako Enyan Essiam where NDC’s Cassiel Ato Forson is the incumbent MP, aspirants include Elisha Odoom, Ransford Kwesi Nyarko, Dr Rashid Kwesi Etuaful and Richard Hagan.
In Cape Coast South, aspirants include Ernest Arthur, Dr Edward Ekow Dsane Selby, Baron Opia Kojo Mensah, Emmanuel Andoh Perry Mensah and Stephen Jeffery Essien Dadson.
In Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem, they are Gerald Mensah Arhin and Dr Samuel Joe Acquah.
Vetting
According to a statement issued by the party, vetting of the aspirants is scheduled to take place on Monday, 12th August 2019 at the NPP head office in the Central Region.
NPP has 19 sitting MPs in the Central Region.
BY Melvin Tarlue