The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has finalised the selection of men and women who will battle for the party in various constituencies to break the country’s eight-year cycle of political party governance.
While some are ecstatic about winning the primaries, others are reeling in pain and hurt after crashing defeats.
One disappointing outcome of the primaries was the poor representation of women, despite constituting the majority of the gender distribution of Ghana’s population.
An analysis by the political desk of The Ghana Report showed that a meagre 4.04 per cent of women were elected to serve as parliamentary candidates for the NPP, a worrying slump by more than half of the figure recorded in the last NPP primaries.
Out of the 321 candidates who battled in the recent primaries, only 35 were females, and even a tiny fraction of 13 were declared winners at their respective polling stations by the EC at the end of the process, with four constituencies yet to be finalised at the time of this report.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has yet to declare the results for the Agona West Constituency, which has Cynthia Mamle Morrison as the incumbent MP, and that of the Yendi Constituency, which has a female as one of the contestants.
Four years ago, 375 parliamentary candidates contested in the party primaries.
Of this, 51 were women, and 35 won, representing 9.3 per cent.
This propelled the NPP to have more females in the 8th Parliament of Ghana.
The trend implies that the NPP will likely have few female representatives in parliament between 2024 and 2028.
At a meeting held on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, the party’s National Executive Committee(NEC) declared 33 candidates unopposed, two of whom were females.
NEC disqualified Portia Asantewaa Danso from Afigya Sekyere East and Ruth Yaa Ansaa Safori from the New Juaben South constituency and were banned from contesting.
Although the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees women’s political rights, inadequate female representation in government remains a hurdle.
The number of female candidates who contested in the NPP primaries is an indication that most women lack interest in politics or perhaps lack the necessary resources to manoeuvre in political affairs, a reason women shun politics in Africa especially.
“Electorates in Ghana do not outrightly discriminate against women during voting, and the gender of a candidate is not a major factor that is considered. This also means that the low representation of women in Ghanaian politics is more likely a product of the low number of women running for office and not of voter discrimination,” she stated.
“We know the youthful profile and active role of our Ghanaian women, particularly when it comes to electoral campaigns, [and] Of course, the role of our women which is not reflected post-elections in the distribution of the goodies.
“I see that in parliament, we don’t seem to be improving on that… I know that in the past, it had gone up to 20 per cent, so it is not a happy story today to say that gender representation is hovering around 16 per cent. We can do more,” he urged.
However, Dr Chambas wants more female appointments into political office.
“I think it’s long overdue, and so our executive should be talking of a minimum of 30 per cent of our female population who represents over 50 per cent of our national population.”
As the country enters into another period of political activities, The Ghana Report offers readers the opportunity to have a peep at the female candidates holding the torch for the NPP into the 2024 polls.
- Mavis Hawa Koomson
Mavis Hawa Koomson, the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya East, is a notable female MP retained in the NPP parliamentary primaries.
She secured 1,318 votes, leaving her competitors: Bernard Ayeh Dankwah, with 97 votes, while Eric Kwaku Boateng garnered 15 votes.
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has promised to secure the Awutu Senya East constituency for the NPP government in the major election in 2024.
- Ursula Owusu-Ekuful
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, was re-elected as the parliamentary candidate for the 2024 general election.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, who has served in parliament for three terms, polled 812 votes, beating her contender, Roni Paa Kwesi Nicol, who managed 241 votes.
The current Communications Minister is known for her active political participation and role in motivating other females.
- Abena Osei-Asare
Delegates in the Atiwa East constituency again bestowed their confidence in Abena Osei-Asare to head the constituency in the 2024 general election.
The recently held parliamentary primaries favoured the current Deputy Finance Minister in Charge of Revenue by securing 288 votes, beating her main opponent, Eric Ofori Agyarko, who secured 67 votes.
Before the declaration of the election results, most delegates who described her as ‘Obaatampa’ predicted that their hardworking MP would retain her seat, and the verdict confirmed that.
She may not be the loudest nor the most boisterous in public, but she clinched the crown of the Most Vocal Female MP in 2019.
- Lauretta Korkor Asante
Lauretta Korkor Asante, Deputy Director of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), also emerged victoriously in the Atiwa West constituency primary.
The new face will succeed Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, the current MP and Minister of Roads and Highways, who voluntarily decided not to contest the 2024 parliamentary race.
- Naana Eyiah Quansah
Naana Eyiah Quansah, the Deputy Interior Minister and Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, was re-elected as the parliamentary candidate on the New Patriotic Party’s ticket to contest the 2024 general election.
The incumbent polled 493 votes to defeat Rev Francis Yamoah, who obtained 99 votes in the primaries.
- Ophelia Mensah
Delegates of Mfantseman during the NPP parliamentary primaries to Ophelia Mensah, the incumbent Member of Parliament, another chance (MP) to lead them in the 2024 general election.
The former Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP) garnered 825 votes against her strongest contender, Mr Korsah-Brown, who obtained 232 votes.
She said the Mfantseman seat will be secured for the NPP in the upcoming general election.
- Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh
Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Afriyieh, is one of the few female MPs who staged a comeback.
The one-term MP secured 756 votes, and her contender and incumbent MP, Sheila Bartels, garnered 637 votes.
The ‘Sankofa’ MP had served in parliament between 2016 to 2020.
Nana Akua Afriyie was appointed as the Deputy Ambassador to China by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
After being declared the winner, she said her second return was a ‘Golden Comeback’; therefore, she was ready to coordinate with all delegates and party members in the constituency to win the seat for NPP in the 2024 general election.
- Patricia Appiagyei
Patricia Appiagyei, the incumbent MP for the Asokwa constituency, was re-elected by the delegates to contest as the parliamentary candidate for the 2024 national election.
The fourth-time parliamentary candidate keenly contested with Francis Nana Yaw Boakye and Edmund Kyei.
At the end of the election, the Electoral Commission declared Patricia Appiagyei as the winner of the primary in the Asokwa constituency.
- Mavis Nkansah-Boadu
Mavis Nkansah-Boadu, the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Afigya Sekyere East constituency, was retained during the NPP primaries to be the candidate for the same constituency in the 2024 general election.
The three-term parliamentary candidate strongly contested against Richard Barimah Sarpong and Opoku Fofie in the constituency, after which she managed to retain her seat.
At the end of the election, Mavis secured 586, representing 77.72 per cent.
Her contender, Richard Barimah Sarpong, had seven votes, representing 0.93 per cent, while Kofi Fofie managed to poll 161, representing 21.35 per cent.
- Adelaide Ntim
Adelaide Ntim, popularly known in the Kwamang Beposo Constituency as ‘The People’s Mother,’ was re-elected as the parliamentary candidate on the NPP ticket for the 2024 general election.
The second-term candidate beat her male contenders, Victor Owusu, Fred Boamah, Kwadwo Boahene Bediako, and Owusu Boahene, to lead the constituency again.
- Damata Ama Appianimaa Salam
Damata Ama Appianimaa Salam is the newly elected parliamentary candidate for Afigya Kwabre South on the ticket of the NPP for the 2024 general election.
The new candidate succeeded the incumbent MP, William Owuraku Aidoo, a three-term parliamentary candidate who opted not to contest in the 2024 parliamentary primaries.
During the primary in the constituency, Damata polled 548 votes, representing 54.26 per cent, and her strongest contender, Appiah Kubi Richard, secured 414 votes, representing 40.99 per cent.
The third candidate, George Sarpong, had 48 votes, representing 4.75 per cent.
- Shirley Kyei
Shirley Kyei, the New Patriotic Party(NPP) UK women’s organiser and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Policy Planning & Local Content) at the Minerals Commission, has been elected as the parliamentary candidate for the Atwima Nwabiagya South constituency for the 2024 general election.
She is the first female candidate to have been elected as a parliamentary candidate for the constituency.
During the parliamentary primaries, Shirley defeated the incumbent MP, Emmanuel Agyei Anhwere, who was elected as the parliamentary candidate in 2016 and 2020 by the delegates.
Shirley Kyei secured 395, representing 42.29 per cent, and the incumbent MP, Emmanuel Agyei Anhwere, garnered 209 votes, representing 22.38 per cent.
The others, George Tuffour, polled 324 votes, representing 34.69 per cent, and the last candidate, Dennis Addo, had six votes, representing 0.64 per cent.
- Gloria Owusu
Delegates in the Trobu constituency replaced their incumbent MP, Moses Anim, who has served for three terms in the constituency with Gloria Owusu.
The newly elected female parliamentary candidate for the 2024 general election secured 698 votes, beating her opponent, Mr Moses Anim, who had 641 votes.
She hopes to retain the Trobu seat for the governing NPP in the major election as her predecessors have done over the years.