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Some 16 aspirants are going unopposed in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary primaries.
The party seeks to use the primaries to elect parliamentary candidates in constituencies where it has sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), ahead of the general elections in December.
The primaries, which will be held in 168 constituencies across the country, will be done in electoral areas rather than at the constituency level.
This is to ensure social distancing among voters due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Out of the 67 aspirants going unopposed in the exercise, 16 are from the Ashanti Region.
Below are the profiles of these parliamentary aspirants:
1. WILLIAM OWURAKU AIDOO – AFIGYA KWABRE SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
William Owuraku Aidoo is the Deputy Minister for Energy (in charge of power) and also the current MP for the Afigya Kwabre South Constituency.
He was born on January 30, 1964 and comes from Hemang-Kwabre in the Ashanti Region.
The 56-year-old Ghanaian politician is married with four children.
He identifies as Christian and is a member of the Catholic Church.
He completed his GCE O Level at Tetrem Secondary School, now Osei Tutu II Senior High School, and his GCE A Level at St. Augustine’s College. He further obtained a BSC Admin degree and an MBA from the University of Ghana, Legon. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Entrepreneurship at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Before his political career, the MP was the Managing Director of Kucons Company Limited. From 1991 to 1994, he was a Senior Superintendent at the Ghana Education Service (GES) and also served as a Senior Manager at the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) from 1995 to 2012.
Within this period (2009 -2012), he doubled as a lecturer at University of Education, Winneba. Also practising as a farmer, he won the national best farmer award for cashew production in 2011.
Mr. Aidoo began his role as the representative of the Afigya Kwabre South Constituency in January 2013 on the ticket of the NPP. He won the seat again in the parliamentary primaries in 2016.
2. MAVIS NKANSAH-BOADU – AFIGYA SEKYERE EAST CONSTITUENCY
Mavis Nkansah Boadu represents the Afigya Sekyere East Constituency in Parliament. Born on May 17, 1989, in Wiamoase in the Ashanti Region, the MP had her secondary education at Achimota School in Accra.
She holds an MBA in International Business from Devry University in the United States of America and a Masters degree in Human Resource Management from the University College of Management Studies in Kansas.
Ms. Boadu interned as a Human Resource Assistant for Kinsadus Company Limited in 2012. She served as an International Student Ambassador for Devry University within 2015 and 2016.
In the last primaries, she polled 41,694 out of 52,056 valid votes, beating Awudu Salim to the seat.
The 31-year-old MP is a member of the Covenant Family Community Church. She is single.
3. SULEMAN ADAMU SANID – AHAFO ANO NORTH CONSTITUENCY
Hailing from Worikambo in the Upper East Region, Suleman Adamu Sanid was born on November 13, 1970. The Ahafo Ano North MP holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Ghana, Legon and an MBA in Marketing from Central University. He also obtained a certificate from Balanced Scorecard Eastern Africa.
Suleman Sanid was the acting manager, principal human resource officer, and administrative officer at Volta River Authority (VRA) from 1999 to 2016.
He is a Christian.
4. FRANCIS MANU-ADABOR – AHAFO ANO SOUTH EAST CONSTITUENCY
Francis Manu-Adabor is a Ghanaian politician born on September 24, 1960 at Biemso No. 1 in the Ashanti Region.
He fellowships with the Catholic Church and is married with five children.
The Ahafo Ano South East MP had his Bachelor of Science degree at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and his postgraduate Diploma at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ife, Nigeria. He also earned his Master’s degree at the University College, London (UCL).
As a licensed land surveyor, he was a member of the Federation of International Surveyors and a fellow at the Ghana Institute of Surveyors.
He was also a member of the International Society of Photography and Remote Sensing. From 1988 to 2007, he served as the Ashanti Regional Head of the Principal Survey School.
He was also the Technical Manager in charge of mapping at the Ghana Cocoa Board (2007 – 2012).
Mr. Manu-Adabor was a majority member in the 6th and 7th parliaments of the 4th republic of Ghana. Within this period, he has served on the government assurance, land and forestry, and constitutional, legal and parliamentary affairs committees in the House.
5. JOHNSON KWAKU ADU – AHAFO ANO SOUTH WEST CONSTITUENCY
The Ahafo Ano South West constituency is currently represented by Johnson Kwaku Adu. He was born on August 10, 1969 in Akrokerri in the Ashanti Region. Married with two children, he fellowships with the Church of Pentecost. He has a certificate from the Akrokerri College of Education and a diploma and BEd (Science) from the University of Education, Winneba.
As an educationist, he has served as a class teacher and a form tutor with the Ghana Education Service (GES). He was the District Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) from 2002 to 2009 and also a Circuit Supervisor at the GES between 2009 to 2012.
In politics, Mr. Adu served as the Presiding Member of Ahafo Ano South District Assembly, Mankraso from April 2009 to January 2011. This is his second term as MP for the constituency since 2013 and is hoping to continue his service to Ahafo Ano South West.
6. PATRICIA APPIAGYEI – ASOKWA CONSTITUENCY
Patricia Appiagyei was born on November 28, 1956 and hails from Konongo in the Ashanti Region. She attended St. Louis Secondary School in Kumasi for her secondary education and proceeded to the KNUST to study Economics. She also has a post-graduate diploma from the Institute of Economic Studies and Development, Italy.
Before pursuing a career in politics, Mrs. Appiagyei worked with City Investments Company Limited as the Executive Director of Marketing for 15 years (1995 – 2010).
She is the first female Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and also a Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister from 2001 to 2005. She proceeded to serve as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kumasi. She has represented the Asokwa constituency for two terms.
The Asokwa MP is married a former CEO of Kotoko FC and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. K. K. Sarpong. They have three children.
7. ISAAC KWAME ASIAMAH – ATWIMA MPONUA CONSTITUENCY
Ghana’s current Youth and Sports Minister doubles as the Atwima Mponua MP. He was born on December 24, 1975 in Tano Dumasi in the Ashanti Region. He is an Anglican and is married with three children.
In 2000, Asiamah graduated from the University of Ghana, Legon with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Political Science. He further obtained his Master’s degree in Governance and Leadership in 2008 at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He served as the National Youth Secretary of the NPP and was also a Policy Analyst at the party’s headquarters in Accra.
The Minister became the youngest parliamentarian ever in Ghanaian political history when he won the Atwima Mponua constituency primaries in 2000. He was 29 by then. Within his time in the House, he has served on the Public Accounts, Finance, Mines and Energy, and Poverty Reduction committees. He also served on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture during his first term and rose to the position of the Vice-Chairman and later, the Chairman of the committee.
Isaac Asiamah was appointed the Minister for Youth and Sports in January 2017 and was sworn in in February by President Akufo-Addo.
8. EMMANUEL AGYEI ANHWERE – ATWIMA NWABIAGYA SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
The Atwima Nwabiagya South MP comes from Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region. He was born on September 20, 1962. He earned a BBA from the University of Education, Winneba in 2010 and a CEMPA at the KNUST in 2015. He has a qualification as a Senior Quality Control Officer from the QCC Training School after which he worked at the Quality Control Company of COCOBOD in Kumasi.
In the last parliamentary primaries, he won with 83.15% of the valid votes cast, ie 48,264 out of 58,313 votes.
Mr. Anhwere is married with five children. He is a Christian and worships with the Anglican Church.
9. JOSEPH OSEI-OWUSU – BEKWAI CONSTITUENCY
Joseph Osei Owusu is the current First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, a lawyer and a politician. He started schooling in his hometown, Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. He has his O and A levels at Juaben Secondary School and Wenchi Secondary School respectively. He proceeded to have a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Classic and Law from the University of Ghana, a Barrister of Law (BL) from the Ghana Law School and an Executive Masters in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Since he was called to the bar in 1990, Mr. Owusu has worked as a lawyer for 29 years. He began his career in the chambers of Yaw Barimah & Co and later joined George Sarpong Legal Services where he later rose to become Assistant Head of Chambers (1993-2002). He was then appointed by ex-President John Kufuor as the CEO of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). He has kept his seat as the MP for Bekwai since 2009. While in Parliament, he has served on the Roads and Transport, Appointments, and Privileges committees.
Mr. Osei Owusu was born on January 22, 1962. He is married and has four children. He is a Christian.
10. DR. YAW OSEI ADUTWUM – BOSOMTWE CONSTITUENCY
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum was born on April 9, 1964 and comes from Jachie in the Ashanti Region. He obtained a degree in Land Economy (Business Administration with a major in Real Estate) from the KNUST. He also has a Master’s degree in Education Management from the University of La Verne and a PhD in Educational Policy, Planning and Administration from the University of Southern California (USC).
Dr. Adutwum is the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of New Designs Charter Schools. He is currently the Deputy Education Minister in charge of basic and secondary education. He is a Christian by religion and is currently married with two children.
11. PHILIP OFORI-ASANTE – FOMENA CONSTITUENCY
Philip Ofori-Asante is an accomplished banker with over 15 years in senior managerial roles having attained leadership roles in both international and local banks in Ghana. Over the years, he has served as a board member on Unique Oil Company Limited, Union Savings Company Limited and Adansi Rural Bank Limited. From 2010 to 2012, he served as the General Manager of Intercontinental Bank Ghana Limited. He was also the Head of wholesale banking at Merchant Bank Ghana Limited.
Mr. Ofori-Asante is popularly credited in the NPP fraternity for sponsoring the party to win the Adansi-Fomena, Adansi-Asokwa, Adansi-Akrofuom and the New Edubaise parliamentary seats.
12. FRANCISCA OTENG MENSAH – KWABRE EAST CONSTITUENCY
Fransisca Oteng-Mensah is currently the youngest parliamentarian in Ghana. The 27-year-old MP comes from Mamponteng in the Ashanti Region. After attending three different schools for her basic and primary education, she finally completed her Junior High education at Angel Educational Complex and had her secondary education at St. Roses Senior High School. She proceeded to read law at KNUST and was a second-year Law student at the time she contested the primaries in 2016.
Before her appointment into Parliament, she was a Secretary at the Angel Group of Companies in Kumasi. In December 2017, she was appointed as the chairperson of the National Youth Authority (NYA).
Ms. Oteng-Mensah fellowships with the Assemblies of God church. She was born on February 14, 1993 to the CEO of Angel Group of Companies, Dr. Kwaku Oteng and his wife, Joyce Oteng.
13. MATTHEW OPOKU PREMPEH – MANHYIA SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the current Education Minister and MP for Manhyia South was born on May 23, 1968 and comes from Pakyi No. 2 in the Ashanti Region.
He attended Prempeh College for his secondary education. He holds a degree in Human Biology and Medicine from KNUST where he was actively involved in student politics and won the NUGS President twice. He also holds a Masters degree in Clinical Epidemiology from the Netherlands Institute of Health and Sciences and later studied at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom in 2002. He was the CEO of Keyedmap Security Services Limited from 2004 to 2009.
He was first elected into Parliament in the year 2008 and has represented both the Manhyia and Manhyia South constituencies in the Ashanti Region. He has served on several parliamentary committees such as Health, Appointments, Special Budget, and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. He was appointed as a cabinet minister by President Akufo-Addo in 2017.
He is a Christian by religion and is currently divorced.
14. GEORGE BOAHEN ODURO – NEW EDUBIASE CONSTITUENCY
George Boahen Oduro, born October 10, 1955, is a Ghanaian politician and the MP for New Edubiase. He obtained a BSc in Operations and Project Management at GIMPA in 2013 and an MBA from Anhalt University in 2015. He served as the Director of Operations/Project at the Cedar Seal Company Limited, Accra.
He is married and has seven children.
15. NTIM AUGUSTINE COLLINS – OFFINSO NORTH CONSTITUENCY
Ntim Augustine Collins was born on September 24, 1964 in a town called Nkenkanso in the Ashanti Region. The current Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development graduated from the KNUST with a Master’s degree in Reproductive Biology. He entered into Parliament in 2009 after successful stints as the assembly member for the Eboma/Ankaase electoral area at Nkenkanso and the District Chief Executive for Offinso. He taught Integrated Science at the TI Ahmadiyya Secondary School in Kumasi. He is a Christian and is married with six children.
16. OSEI KYEI MENSAH-BONSU – SUAME CONSTITUENCY
Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the current Majority Leader was born on February 3, 1957 at Bremang-Afrancho in the Ashanti Region. He attended KNUST and graduated with a degree in BSc Planning. He started politics during his senior high school days at St. Peters Senior High School where he was the President of the Students’ Movement for African Unity (SMAU). He later became the Unity Hall President in KNUST after he lost the SRC presidential elections but managed to become the acting SRC president after some unforeseen developments.
Mr. Mensah-Bonsu has been representing the people of Old Tafo Suame in Parliament since 1996 after he stood for the primaries in the constituency and won. He has held a lot of reputable positions in Parliament as he was the Secretary of the Minority Caucus (1997-2000), Deputy Majority Whip and later Majority Chief Whip (2001-2004), Deputy Majority Leader, Member of the ECOWAS Parliament, among others. He is currently the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader in Parliament.
He is married with five children and attends Assemblies of God Church.
—citinewsroom
