NPP primaries: Ablekuma West Constituency to begin endorsement of candidates on Friday

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ablekuma West Constituency, will on Friday, begin the process to affirm the candidature of Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful as the party's parliamentary candidate ahead of the December 7, general elections.

The exercise has been scheduled for two days as a precautionary measure to reduce the number of people to each venue and to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.

Mr Fred Tetteh Mills, the constituency’s Assistant Secretary, who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, said three venues have been approved to host the ten electoral areas.

"Beginning Friday the 19th of June, five electoral areas will undertake the exercise in three different venues we have earmarked for the exercise and the remaining five will complete the exercise on Saturday 20th June at the same venues.

"This is to avoid pooling all delegates to one place and ensure the strict adherence to the social distancing protocols," he added.

A total of 678 constituency officials, including 650 delegates, 18 constituency executives, five Council of Elders members and five patrons are expected to partake in the endorsement exercise.

Mr Mills, on Monday, June 15, called on delegates and constituency executives to massively endorse the candidature of the MP to brighten the party's chances of retaining the seat, adding that such support would send a strong signal to opposition parties about the strength of the party ahead of the December polls.

"When you talk about Ablekuma West, our MP, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful has done so much for the constituency and the constituents can actually attest to that.

“Lots of the bad roads in the constituency have been fixed and a lot more are still in the process of being fixed. A lot of educational facilities have been developed. The Ebenezer High School, for instance, has received a lot including a library. Currently, there is an 18-units classroom block, a three-story building being constructed at Dansoman Last Stop, among others.” he said.

Barring any last-minute hitch, the NPP is expected to hold its primaries for the 168 constituencies where it has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), to elect parliamentary candidates for the 2020 general elections.

Out of this number, 20 are in the Greater Accra Region, including the Ablekuma West Constituency.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, who is currently the incumbent MP for Ablekuma West Constituency, is contesting the sole slot of the party unopposed.

The MP, who also doubles as the Minister for Communications, would be seeking to represent the constituency on the ticket of the party in the December polls for the third successive time.

The Ablekuma West Constituency has been in the grip of the NPP, winning the previous two elections since it was carved out of the then Ablekuma South Constituency in 2012.