‘People’s Mother’ ready for battle

Elizabeth Agyemang, the Member of Parliament for Oforikrom Constituency in the Ashanti region has indicated her readiness to contest the parliamentary seat she has occupied since 2004.

The incumbent MP says the impending primary would be the best competition she would ever contest and has welcomed contestants to pitch their strength against her.

She explained that in 2004, she beat five aspirants to it to annex the seat to become the first MP for the Oforikrom constituency after it had been carved out of the then Asokwa East constituency.

In 2008, two persons, including a woman contested her but won, while the only contender in 2012 lost to her.

Today, two others are vying for the seat with her. But Mrs. Agyemang has told The Chronicle in an interview that she is not afraid of competition because she sees her chances of retaining her seat as perfect.

She said her bid for a re-election for the fourth time is informed by the recognition of her performance and work by the delegates and the fact that the NPP would need experienced law makers in the next parliament.

According to her, she has sailed through previous primaries without sweat and indicated that her trump card is the fact that she is an indigene of the constituency and knows the needs of the constituents. “I live in the constituency and I am easily accessible to the constituents”, she said.

The MP said the constituents see her as one of their own and that the entire constituents are her campaign managers, because they are the direct beneficiaries of the interventions she initiated for their benefit. “I am accepted everywhere and have never regretted being an MP to serve my people”, she indicated. Mrs. Agyemang has paid school fees for 560 Senor High School students.

“In my constituency, several people have received scholarships to study both locally and abroad while school fees of several pupils have been paid through her share of the Common Fund” , she said . She has committed GHc23,000 in payment of fees of wards of constituents for this term alone.

According to her the only threat to her aspiration in the constituency is when an indigene like herself decides to contest.

The 66- year-old Oforikrom lawmaker is a professional teacher with Teacher’s Certificate ‘A’ and a registered practice Nurse of the Alexandria Hospital at Virginia in the USA. Since 2011 she has instituted an award scheme at seven faculties including the college of sciences, college of health sciences, architecture and planning, college of engineering, among others at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to encourage girls come top on the educational ladder.

An eight award is for the overall best student. Each of them received a brand new laptop and cash.

Hon. Agyemang is a member and vice-chairperson of the parliamentary health committee, Employment and Social welfare and State Enterprise Committee member; chairman of the Ashanti NPP caucus and member of International committees including Pan African Parliament, Conduct of Presidential elections in Ethiopia (observer); Preparation of framework for concerted abolition of female genital mutilation (FGM) in all African countries and a member of the Commonwealth parliamentary association.