NPP Primaries: Akufo-Addo roots for Ghana’s youngest MP to go unopposed

President Nana Akufo-Addo has hinted that, Ghana’s youngest Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Francisca Oteng Mensah would be made to stand unopposed in the upcoming parliamentary primaries of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), MyNewsGh.com reports.

The President made the pronouncement when he addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Kwabre East Municipality of the Ashanti region at the palace of Mampontenghene, Barima Saasi Ayeboafo II on Thursday October 10, 2019.

His recommendation followed an appeal by the Mampontenghene for him to adopt the twenty-six-year-old legislator as his own daughter, in his concluding remarks in his address to President Akufo Addo and his entourage.

The President had paid a courtesy call on the Mampontenghene and the other chiefs and people of the Kwabre East Municipality; he also cut sod for the construction of 5.5 km of Mamponteng town roads.

“Finally, I appeal to you for Francisca, our daughter, she is young; we have given her to you, so take care of her”, Mampontenghene told the President.

In his response, President Akufo Addo told the thousands of people and chiefs gathered at the function that, he would personally make sure The Kwabre East MP appears on the ballot paper once again in the 2020 parliamentary elections and go on to elevate her if his government wins a second term.

“I have taken your call for me to adopt her in good fate and I do not take it lightly at all; in the coming elections, she must be upheld again and if God blesses my administration with a second term, Nana, you will see how I would elevate her in your honour” the President assured the chief and his subjects.

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) obtained its highest number of their votes yet, from the Kwabre East Constituency in the 2016 general elections.

President Nana Akufo Addo, who was then candidate, garnered a record 71,112 votes representing 81.77% of valid votes cast; Francisca Oteng Mensah, who was then only twenty-three years old and a level 300 student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) got 71,757 votes representing 83.03% of valid votes cast, to become member of parliament ahead of four other contenders.

She has since her entry into Parliament, being a staunch advocate for gender equality, girl education and youth empowerment.