Farmer elected as Assembly Member for Sowodadzem Electoral Area

A 36-year-old renowned farmer, Thomas Kwaw has been elected as the Assembly Member for Sowodadzem Electoral Area in the Jomoro Municipality of Western Region.

He is to champion the development of the area in the next four years.

At the end of the keenly contested elections held at six polling stations on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, he secured a landslide victory.

The six polling stations include; Sowodadzem Market Square One, Sowodadzem Market Square Two, Mile 5, Compound M/A Primary School, Amokwawsuazo M/A Primary School and Old Ankasa M/A Primary School.

The Deputy Returning Officer who supervised the elections, Mr. Daniel Tayi Amakyi, declared the farmer, Thomas Kwaw, as the newly elected Assembly Member for the area.

Thomas Kwaw polled 644 votes to beat Kobina Opare who had 288 votes. The incumbent Assembly Member pulled out of the race in the eleventh hour.

Nonetheless, Hon. Andrews Acquah also managed to get 11 votes.

A total number of 1,996 registered voters were expected to exercise their franchise, but 964 turnout to vote.

Out of the 964, 943 votes were valid and 21 votes were rejected.

In the Unit Committee Elections, eight candidates contested and at the end of the day, five candidates were selected.

Richard Adjei polled 585 votes to become first and he was declared as the Chairman of the Unit Committee at Sowodadzem Electoral Area.

The rest are; Paul Mbawine with 527 votes, Ayadin Thomas had 521 votes, followed by Abass Bin Tarrick who also polled 507 and Daniel Asmah polled 437 votes.

Frank Kwame, Benjamin Yarko and Kofi Ankrah, had sixth, seventh and eighth positions respectively.

The popularity of Thomas Kwaw was tested when he (cocoa and poultry farmer) won all the six polling stations.

Before his victory, he was the Government Appointee for Jomoro Municipal Assembly.

Speaking to the media after the declaration, the elected Assembly Member who hails from Amokwawsuazo, he expressed his profound appreciation to all the electorates who voted for him and those who didn't vote for him for the confidence reposed in him.

He, therefore, pledged his total readiness to work assiduously with the Unit Committee Members to develop the communities.

He also called on the electorates to rally behind him and promised to maintain the existing peace within the Electoral Area.

Speaking to one of the exciting supporters of the Assembly Member-elect, Miss Vivian Esi Sam, she said she was happy the good people of Sowodadzem Electoral Area have voted massively for her choice.

She added that his victory was unprecedented because this was the first time a resident from Amokwawsuazo has been elected as the Assembly Member for Sowodadzem Electoral Area since the inception of the Local Government Elections.

She touted some challenges facing the good people of Amokwawsuazo and Old Ankasa.

She mentioned the deplorable road network linking the Sowodadzem junction to Old Ankasa Forest Reserve.

She, therefore seized the opportunity to urge the elected Assembly Member to lobby for reshaping of the road network.

She disclosed that they voted for him based on competence and not on partisan nature.

According to the Electoral Officer for Jomoro, Mr. Isaac Otoo, 351 candidates contested for the District Level and Unit Committee Elections in Jomoro within 34 Electoral Areas.

Out of the figure, 130 candidates contested for the Assembly Elections and 221 candidates also contested for the Unit Committee Elections.

Out of the Assembly Elections, all the candidates were males.

According to the Electoral Officer, 202 candidates were males who contested for the Unit Committee Elections and 19 were females.