Sekondi (W/R), Nov. 5, GNA - Eighty-five aspiring parliamentary candidates have filed their nominations to contest 22 seats in the Western Region in the December 7 polls, a report by the Electoral Commission said on Thursday.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has the highest of 22 candidates while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) registered 20 candidates. The Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE), the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and the National Reform Party (NRP) are fielding one candidate each.
The Commission also confirmed earlier reports that the NPP did not register candidates for the Ellembelle and Evalue Gwira Constituencies. The report shows that there are only 13 women contesting various seats in the region as against 72 men.
The youngest woman is a 29-year-old teacher, Ms Doris Eduku, who filed on the ticket of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) while the youngest man is Atiawo Kweku, a 21-year-old teacher also for the PNC. In an interview, Mr Reginald Amihere, Western Regional Director of the EC, said no physically impaired person submitted nomination forms to contest the elections.
Mr. Amihere however said the EC would do everything possible to ensure that the physically impaired are not disenfranchised. He said Braille and other easy-to-use electoral materials for the physically challenged would be made available to enable such people to participate fully in the exercise.
