Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Ghanaian Times
Published on 2024-04-10 09:55:31
The upcoming by-election in the Ejisu Constituency in the Ashanti Region to select a new Member of Parliament (MP) is scheduled for April 30 of this year. The Electoral Commission (EC) has also announced that a limited voter registration exercise will take place from May 7 to 27 at all 268 district offices of the EC, as disclosed during an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra.
The by-election became necessary due to the unfortunate passing of Mr. John Kumah, who served as the MP and was also a Deputy Minister of Finance. Mr. Kumah passed away on March 7, 2024, at the age of 45, after battling an illness. Following his passing, nine candidates have been approved by the Vetting Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to participate in a primary election on April 13 to select a candidate for the upcoming by-election.
The contenders include Kwabena Boateng, Dr. Evans Duah, Klinsman Karikari Mensah, Helena Mensah, Jacqueline Abena Pokua Amoah-Boaitey, Portia Baffoe Abronye, Kwesi Nyantakyi, Aaron Prince Duah, and Yaa Akyawmaa Aboagye. The NPP has recommended that all candidates be allowed to compete in the primary election, with the National Executives of the party set to meet with them.
Furthermore, the NPP has called for the expansion of the limited voter registration exercise to include training colleges, senior high school institutions, and other important gathering points to ensure that individuals in remote areas have access to registration centers. The party also expressed concerns about the missing laptop components of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits and is awaiting the outcome of police investigations into the theft.
Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), criticized the EC for not disclosing that five Biometric Voter Devices (BVDs) were vandalized in Tarkwa Nsuaem in the Western Region. He questioned the transparency of the EC regarding the missing BVRs and demanded specific answers, which would guide the NDC’s next steps. The NDC’s Functional Executive Committee will decide whether the party will contest for the Ejisu Constituency Parliamentary seat.
In conclusion, both the NPP and the NDC are closely monitoring the situation leading up to the by-election in the Ejisu Constituency and are working with the EC to address any challenges that may arise during the limited voter registration exercise. The outcome of the primary election on April 13 will determine the candidate who will stand in the by-election on April 30. The political parties are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process for the constituents of Ejisu.
Read the original article on Ghanaian Times
