Why conduct by-election at Ejisu and ignore Guan constituency? – Mosquito tackles EC

The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is wondering why the Electoral Commission (EC) is preparing to conduct a by-election at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region while the residents of Guan in the Oti Region have been without a representative in Parliament since 2020.

The people in the Guan District made up of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lipke and Lolobi (SALL) did not partake in the December 7, 2020, parliamentary election, but only voted in the presidential election.

This was after an announcement by the EC on December 6, 2020, not to partake in the parliamentary elections of Hohoe since the creation of the new regions had taken them away from the constituency.

They have been without a legislator since 2021 yet the EC has not made a by-election for them to get a representation in Parliament.

Following the death of the MP for Ejisu, John Kumah, who was also a Deputy Minister for Finance, the EC will hold a by-election in Ejisu on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, for the by-election to elect a new MP some 8 months before the country goes to polls.

However, speaking to Mugabe Maase on Inside Politics on TV XYZ, the Chairman of the NDC, Asiedu Nketiah said he did not understand why the EC failed to organise an election for the people of Guan to elect a legislator.

“There is a by-election to be held in Ejisu following the demise of their MP. We will vote this year but what I am finding difficult to accept is the fact that the Electoral Commission has failed to do same for the people of Guan for almost 4 years,” stated Mr Nketia affectionately called General Mosquito.

“An Instrument has been sent to Parliament which has successfully created the Guan Constituency, comprising Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi so why don’t they organise a by-election to get them a Member of Parliament?” he quizzed.

He said the people in that part of the country have not been treated fairly by the EC.

Ejisu Primary

Meanwhile, a private legal practitioner, Kwabena Boateng, has been elected as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ejisu after a primary was held on April 13.

He beat eight other persons including former Ghana Football Association (GFA) boss, Kwesi Nyantakyi to become the NPP’s parliamentary candidate ahead of the by-election.

The others were Dr Evans Duah, Klinsman Karikari Mensah, Helena Mensah, Jacqueline Abena Pokua Amoah-Boaitey, Portia Baffoe Abronye, Aaron Prince Duah and Yaa Gyamera Aboagye.

According to the Electoral Commission, Kwabena Boateng secured 394 votes out of a total of 1033 valid votes cast.

His closest competitor, Madam Helena Mensah, had 302 votes. Meanwhile, Yaa Gyamera Aboagye got 229 votes and former GFA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi had only 35 of the votes cast.