GUM opens nominations for parliamentary primaries

The Ghana Union Movement (GUM) has opened nominations for aspiring parliamentary candidates in constituencies across the country.

The Party said both members of the party and non-members who were interested in representing the Party in the 2024 parliamentary elections could access the nomination forms at GUM’s constituency offices.

Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, the Founder and flagbearer of GUM, said the nomination forms would not be sold to the aspiring candidates.

He said the decision was to offer people the opportunity to serve the country, adding that money should not be a barrier for individuals to represent their constituents in Parliament.

“We want to give everyone the opportunity to market themselves. We believe money should not be a barrier and everyone who had something special to offer their constituency should be given the opportunity to serve,” Rev. Andrews said.

GUM sent tongues wagging when it placed third in the 2020 presidential election, beating traditional Convention People’s Party, People’s National Convention, and the Progressive People’s Party.

The Party garnered 105,548 votes, representing 0.805 per cent of the total ballots cast.

Rev. Andrews said GUM would build on its achievements in 2020 and would work assiduously to affect the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

“The NPP and NDC are taking us for a ride. We will surprise them. They will get to know our strength,” he said.

He said the Party had targeted 50 parliamentary seats based on its performance in the Central and Western regions in the 2020 election.

Rev. Andrews said the Party had thoroughly assessed its strength and weaknesses in all the constituencies and that GUM would not field candidates in areas where the incumbent Member of Parliament was performing well.

He said the Party would also adopt a “modest campaign” and urged members of the Party to identify influential persons within their communities to lead the campaigns.

He said the Party’s manifesto would outline detailed roadmap on how it would achieve its ambition of reviving all defunct factories constructed by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Rev. Andrews said job creation was the main focus of the Party and expressed confidence that the establishment of factories in every region and the operation of a free port would boost economic activities and improve the living conditions of the people.

He said the government of GUM would also create a system that would reduce or eliminate reliance on foreign currencies through barter arrangements with international trade partners.