New faces will make up the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, after the December 7 general election saw a flurry of parliamentary seats changing hands.
Official results by the Electoral Commission (EC) released at the constituency level indicated that about 14.5 per cent of the 275 Members of Parliament (MPs) would be new entrants.
This means some 40 ‘old guards’ will not be part of the next Parliament to be sworn in early January 2021 ahead of the swearing in of the President.
The House will feature Mohammed Adamu Ramadan of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who will represent the people of Adentan Constituency after dethroning the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Director, Yaw Buaben Asamoa.
The people of Madina Constituency will be represented by the NDC’s Francis Xavier Sosu. The lawyer defeated the Minister of State at the Office of the Vice-President, Boniface Abu-Bakar Saddique.
Joseph Kwasi Mensah of the NDC pipped the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) MP, Major (rtd) Derek Oduro, who is the Deputy Minister of Defence, for the Nkoranza North seat in the Bono East Region.
Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, a sister of former Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh, will be in the House to represent the people of Awutu Senya West after dislodging Nenyi George Andah, Deputy Minister for Communications.
The NDC’s Alhaji Baba Issifu Seidu will sit in for the Nalerigu-Gambaga constituents in the North East Region after beating the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, for the seat.
Also, Dr. Kwamina Minta Nyarku of the NDC will be in the House for the Cape Coast North people after snatching the seat from the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Barbara Asher Ayisi.
For the people of Damongo in the newly-created Savannah Region, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor of the NPP, will represent them in Parliament. He beat the NDC MP and Minority Spokesperson on Energy, Adam Mutawakilu.
The NDC’s Robert Wisdom Cudjoe will also be sworn in as MP for the Prestea Hunni Valley after beating Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Minister for Tourism and Creative Arts, for the seat; while Abeiku Crentsil will take the seat of Ekumfi.
He dislodged Samuel Ato Cudjoe, Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, from the seat.
The Eighth Parliament will also feature NDC’s Sanja Nanja after beating the Bono East Regional Minister, Kofi Amoakohene, for Atebubu Amanten. Mr. Nanja staged a comeback after losing the seat to the NPP in 2016.
The NDC’s David T.D. Vondee will be the MP for Twifo-Atti-Morkwa people, after annexing the seat from the NPP’s Ebenezer Obeng Dwamena, while the Assin North seat will be taken up in Parliament by James Gyakye Quayson, who unseated Abena Durowaa Mensah of the NPP.
The New Edubiase constituents will be represented by Abdul Salam Adams of the NDC. He beat the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, George Boahen Oduro, who secured the seat for the NPP in the 2016 elections.
The Wenchi seat will be occupied by Seidu Haruna of the NDC, who urged out the Minister of Planning, Prof. George Yaw Gyan Baffour; while the Jomoro seat in the Western Region will be occupied by the NDC’s Dorcas Nda-Affo Toffey. She beat the Deputy Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, Paul Essien.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Bede Ziedeng, will occupy the Lawra Constituency in the Upper West Region, having beaten Deputy Minister of Roads, Anthony A. Karbo.
Wisdom Gidisu will represent the people of Krachi East in Parliament after re-annexing the seat he lost in 2016 to the NPP’s Michael Gyato, who is the Deputy Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation.
NPP’s Dr. Prince Armah will represent the people of Kwasimitim, while Benjamin Ayiku Nartey of the NDC will replace Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye in Parliament for the Ledzokuku seat.
The La Dadekotopon seat will be occupied by NDC’s Rita Naa Odoley Sowah in the House; while Agnes Naa Momo Lartey of NDC will take over the Krowor.
Vincent Ekow Assafuah of the NPP will be the MP for the Old Tafo Constituency after winning the seat. The current MP, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, did not seek re-election, while Francis Assenso Boakye will represent the people of Bantama after defeating the NDC candidate, Joseph Amo.
The Akrofuom Constituency in the Ashanti Region will be represented by Alex Blankson, who secured 11,992 of the valid votes cast, beating the NDC candidate, Joseph Azumah, who had 8,400.
Akwasi Owusu Afrifa-Mensa will be the new face in Parliament for the people of Amasaman having won the seat with 57,638 votes against 54,519 votes bagged by the NDC candidate, Sedem Kweku Afenyo.
NPP’s Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi will also feature in the next Parliament representing the people of Anyaa Sowutuom after bagging home 66,317 votes as against 33,781 secured by the NDC candidate.
The seat is currently occupied by Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Fredrick Obeng Adom, who won the Upper West Akim seat for the first time for NPP, will be sworn in as MP.
By Ernest Kofi Adu