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Forty-nine aspirants are lacing their boots to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in 19 constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament in the Central Region.

At the close of nominations, all the aspirants had successfully filed their nominations and are currently criss-crossing their respective constituencies to canvass for votes.

The ruling NPP currently occupies 19 out of the 23 constituencies in the region with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) occupying only four.

The 19 constituencies occupied by the NPP are Assin North, Twifo Atti-Morkwa, Hemang Lower Denkyira, Gomoa East, Effutu, Mfantseman, Agona West, Ekumfi and Asikuma Odoben Brakwa.

The rest are Assin South, Awutu Senya West, Assin Central, Cape Coast North, Abura Asebu Kwamankese, Gomoa West, Upper Denkyira East, Awutu Senya East, Upper Denkyira West and Gomoa Central.

The four others occupied by the NDC are Agona East, Ajumako Enyan Essiam, Cape Coast South and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem.

Last year, the ruling NPP held primaries to elect parliamentary candidates in the four orphan constituencies.

They were Professor Kwesi Yankah for Agona East, Dr Rashid Kwesi Etuaful, Ajumako Enyan Essiam, Mr Ernest Arthur for Cape Coast South and Dr Samuel Joe Acquah for Komenda Edina Egaufo Abirem.

Five females

Out of the 49 aspirants, five are females, who are all incumbent MPs.

They are MP for Agona West and Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Cynthia Morrison; MP for Cape Coast North and Deputy Minister, Works and Housing, Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi; MP for Gomoa Central and Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mrs Naana Eyiah Quansah; MP for Awutu Senya West and Minister responsible for Special Development Initiatives, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, and MP for Assin North, Ms Abena Durowaa Mensah.

Breakdown

Only two sitting MPs are going unopposed in the primary in the region. They are MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin and MP for Ekumfi, Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, who is also the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

In the Assin North Constituency, Abena Durowaa Mensah, the incumbent, is facing stiff opposition from Eric Amankwa Blay and Emmanuel Antwi Bosiako. The contest in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa is between Prof. Francis Owusu-Mensah, Abraham Dwuma Odoom, the incumbent, and Ebenezer Obeng Dwamena.

In the Hemang Lower Constituency, the incumbent MP, Bright Wireko Brobbey, is being challenged by Nana Kwame Yamoah Hagan. The contest in Gomoa East is a two-horse race between the incumbent, Kojo Asemanyi and Richard Panford.

Additionally, in the Mfantseman Constituency, incumbent Ekow Kwansa Hayford will battle it out with James Korsah-Brown.

The battle in the Agona West Constituency is a hot contest between incumbent Cynthia Morrison, Evans Addison Coleman, a former constituency chairman, Samuel Kweku Obodai, former MP for the area, and Yawson Otoo.

The Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Constituency has the highest number of aspirants in the region.

The incumbent, Anthony Effah is facing a tough contest from Samuel Ofori Ampomah, Francis Ampong-Ansah Bernasko, Ernerst Kojo Smith, Bright Essilfie Kumi and Adjei Domson, a former DCE for the area.

The contest in Assin South is between incumbent John Ntim Fordjour and Joseph Kofi Damtse while that of Awutu Senya West is between the incumbent Nenyi George Andah, a Deputy Minister of Communications, and Joseph Aidoo.

In Assin Central, maverick politician Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the incumbent, is being challenged by Eric Baidoo. In the Cape Coast Constituency, the contest is between Barbara Asher Ayisi, the incumbent, Lawrence Ampah, Joseph Thomas Baidoo and Philip Longdon.

It is two-horse race in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese constituency as the incumbent Elvis Morris Donkoh faces off with Eric Kobina Nyanteh just as in Gomoa West where the contest is between incumbent Alexander Kojo Kom Abban and Abass Kodwo Acquah.

In Upper Denkyira East, it is between Nana Amoako, the incumbent, Richmond Nii Duodu, Dr Festus Awuah Kwofie and Charles Afari Mensah whereas in Awutu Senya East, the contest is between incumbent Mavis Hawa Koomson, Bernard Ayeh Dankwa and Patrick Kwadu-Amponsem.

In the Upper Denkira West Constituency, it is between Benjamin Kofi Ayeh and the incumbent Samuel Nsowah Djan, whereas in Gomoa Central, incumbent Naana Eyiah will face off with Dr Edward Nana Ketu Cudjoe, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Party is ready

The Central Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Richard Takyi-Mensah, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the party was ready to vet the aspirants for the upcoming primary.

He commended the aspirants for conducting their campaigns devoid of insults and personal attacks and called on the party supporters to remain united after the primary to prosecute an effective and efficient campaign to ensure victory in 2020.

He said the party was ready to wrest the seats from the NDC in the 2020 general elections, stressing that “the party is working tirelessly to deliver 60 per cent popular votes towards ensuring a resounding victory in the December elections.

“Based on the achievements chalked up so far, there is no doubt that Ghanaians will give the NPP four more years to deliver on its mandate to better the lot of the ordinary masses,” he noted.