Dr. Kwaku Afriyie
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) made history in the Sefwi Wiawso and Jomoro Constituencies of the Western Region when the party’s Parliamentary Candidates, Dr Kweku Afriyie and Mr Paul Essien, defeated their contenders to win their respective seats for the NPP for the first time, in the just ended general elections.
The Elephant Party had never won the Sefwi Wiawso and Jomoro seats since the return to constitutional rule in 1992.
For the Jomoro seat, it was occupied by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) till 2008 when it lost it to Madam Samia Yaba Nkrumah, daughter of Ghana’s First President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The NDC, however, recaptured the seat from Madam Samia in the 2012 elections.
The NPP Member of Parliament (MP) elect, Paul Essien, was a former assembly member for Tikobo No.1 in the constituency.
Mr Essien, 41, a teacher by profession, polled 18,694 votes out of the total 48,440 to emerge winner of the Parliamentary election.
In the Sefwi Wiawso constituency, Former Health Minister under the previous John Kufour-led NPP administration, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie also won the seat for the NPP for the first time.
He beat incumbent Member of Parliament for the area, Paul Evans Aidoo, who was also the Western Regional Minister. Kweku Afriyie polled 31,736 votes while the former Regional Minister had 26,105 votes.
Electorates in the two constituencies pointed out that Nana Addo’s remarkable campaign promise of “One District One Factory” and “One District One Million Dollar annually”, inspired mostly the youth of the area to vote for the NPP.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi