THE Leadership of the Suhum Constituency of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Eastern Region has honoured the former Member of Parliament of the area, Frederick Opare-Ansah for his outstanding contributions to the constituency.
Mr Opare was presented with a citation and a plaque in recognition of his immense support towards the development of Suhum during the annual delegates conference held over the weekend.
The party also honoured the former MP, Ransford Agyapong, and others for their contributions to the party and the constituents.
In his reaction, Mr Opare Ansah expressed gratitude to the party for the kind gesture and said it debunks claims of neglect in the party.
According to him, “I think what the Suhum party has done debunks a certain assertion of neglecting people after their service. I don’t think Suhum NPP has forgotten me or my former Member of Parliament Ransford. They’ve recognized us and it’s something worth emulating by the party in different constituencies”.
He explained that people will offer their service to the party should other constituencies emulate Suhum NPP.
“There will always be interest within politics and the fact that there are different interest groups within the party in the constituency does not mean the party has disintegrated, it is about management” he added.
He said some people are beneficiaries of unity within a constituency and has therefore called on them to recognize it, adding that having different interests is not functioning and is of the view people try to align their interests.
He noted that the superior will be able to see things from the perspective of different people and realign their interest with his interest to emerge victoriously.
Opare-Ansah, a student leader at the KNUST became an MP in January 2005 and was the former Deputy Minister of Communications in 2008 under Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration.
Being one of the longest-serving MPs in the country, Opare-Ansah is nicknamed ‘Suhum Mugabe’ and has been on the seat for the past 16 years.
Mr Opare – Ansah, was once a threat to any candidate who attempts to contest him in any elections. They end up losing abysmally.
He lost the last NPP Parliamentary primaries held in June 2020 to the current MP, Kwadwo Asante.
He joined the political race after unseating the former MP, Ransford Agyapong in 2004 including the current MP for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong who lost to him in three consecutive contests which ending up projecting the famous 51-51 votes.
Mr Opare Ansah once retained the Suhum seat and returned to parliament in 2009 and became Minority Chief whip from 2009 to 2013.
He was a member of the Ecowas Parliament from 2011 and was a Ranking Member the for Communications committee from 2013 to 2017.
He was a member of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee from 2013 to 2017 and was also a member of the Finance Committee, as well as a former Chairman of the Communications Committee in Parliament.
The attached Images: the Suhum MP, and party chairman, Frederick Ofosu, presenting the citation and plague to Opare Ansah at the left.
BY Daniel Bampoe