Ho Central: Benjamin Kpodo to bow out of Parliament

The Member of Parliament for the Ho Central Constituency, Benjamin Komla Kpodo is expected to end his stay in Parliament.

Mr. Kpodo who entered Parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress in 2013 is not expected to contest the party’s parliamentary primaries when the party officially opens nominations in the coming days.

Mr. Kpodo would however, run down the last two years of his third term until the 2024 general elections are held.

Sources closer to the MP told Kasapa News’ Faisel Abdul-Iddrisu that the law-maker would officially announce this decision to the public and party faithful latest, February 28, 2023.

In the last quarter of 2022, rumours were already rife that Mr. Kpodo would not be seeking re-election.

But recent town-hall meetings and other activities held by the MP across the constituency sent waves of fear across board with those seeking to replace him left confused over his true intentions.

However, it is all over now for Mr. Kpodo who is believed to have taken the decision based on his age.

“The MP feels he has done his best for Ho Central and would want to create the space for another young person to lead,” a reliable team member told Kasapa News.

“But what is more important is the fact that he personally feels he’s ageing -he’s 70-years now and by the time the next elections are held, he would have been 72-years old, he certainly doesn’t want to leave Parliament at 76,” the source disclosed.

The Ho Central MP would become the second legislator from the Volta region to voluntarily opt out of Parliament following a similar declaration made by his colleague MP for Ketu North, Dr. James Klutse Avedzi.

Among his colleagues, Mr. Kpodo is revered for his stellar contributions on the various committees he has served since his entering into Parliament some 10-years ago.

His decision not to seek re-election is understood to have come as a big blow to some of his colleagues who attempted to persuade him against the move.

Though Mr. Kpodo throughout the years have been criticised by his internal opponents for non-performance, the Ho Central MP who prides himself as the “Development Capo” has a good record of infrastructural projects scattered across the constituency coupled with other intervention projects.