NPP Primaries: Profile of Akufo-Addo’s army of new faces for 2020 polls
The race to determine who represents the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 polls has produced some fresh faces.
Some of these newcomers had a daunting task against incumbent NPP Members of Parliament but passed the test.
The freshers will face off against some experienced contenders of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 elections.
Below are some of the newcomers compiled by theghanareport.com :
1. Francis Asenso-Boakye
An appointee and Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Asenso-Boakye snatched the Bantama seat from the incumbent, Daniel Okyem Aboagye.
He is one of the NPP appointees with strong backing from President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr Asenso-Boakye polled 456 while his opponent had 122.
Mr Asenso-Boakye is generally credited as the founder of Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), the wing of the party present in tertiary institutions across the country.
Bantama is a stronghold of the governing NPP where the party has never lost a parliamentary election.
2. Vincent Ekow Assafuah
He won the primaries in Old Tafo Constituency, one of the numerous strongholds of the NPP in the Ashanti Region.
The provisional results at the close of polls were:
Prince Odeneho Oppong – 90
Archibald Ntiri – Acquah – 0
Emmanuel Obeng – 44
Lord Inusah Lansah – 27
Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor – 113
Vincent Ekow Assafuah – 299
Mr Assafuah serves as the Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Education.
He was a former president of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA), and an aide to the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Samira Bawumia
Mr Assafuah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
He also has a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree from Central University and an MA in Economic Policy from the University of Ghana.
3. John Kumah
John Kumah won the mandate to represent the Ejisu Constituency in the 2020 polls with 397 votes to dethrone the incumbent Kwabena Owusu Aduomi who had 307. The third contestant was Abena Pokua, who managed a paltry five votes.
Mr Kumah is the CEO of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP).
He is a lawyer and an entrepreneur who owns several businesses.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Ghana and obtained his LLB after completing his studies between 2009-2011 and continued to the Ghana School of Law at Makola from 2011 to 2013.
4. Dakoa Newman
Dakoa Newman had a resounding victory in Okaikwei South constituency with 440 votes over the incumbent, Ahmed Arthur, who garnered 327. Chairman of the National Theatre Board, Nana Fredua-Agyeman Ofori-Atta, who challenged for the seat, managed 21.
“It has been God; not me, so I give thanks to him. I am humbled by this honour done me and will remain grateful to the delegates,” she said. “Now the primaries are over. It is the NPP that has won so we must all rejoice and unite for victory in the general election,” she said.
She is an old student of Wesley Girls Senior High School, Cape Coast. She holds a Political Science Degree from the University of Ghana, Legon as well as a Master’s Degree in Programme and Project management from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom.
Dakoa Newman holds professional certificates in Project Management and also Risk Management from the Project Management Institute, USA.
She first worked as a project officer at Buildhaap Ghana.
She moved on and worked as the resident construction project manager on West Hills Malls, Ecobank Head Office Ridge, Achimota Mall and Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3.
She is also the founder of DNF Ghana, a development and humanitarian non-governmental organisation that advances social welfare causes and poverty alleviation.
6. Dr Prince Armah
With 222 votes, the educationist and research consultant floored the incumbent MP for Kwesimintsim Joe Mensah, who got 167.
He holds a PhD degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Aberdeen, UK with specialisation in Curriculum, Pedagogy and Educational Policy.
Dr Prince Hamid Armah is currently the Executive Secretary of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
He has previously consulted for several national and international organisations including The World Bank, USAID, UKAID/DFID, UN Education Commission, Open University (UK), Oxford Policy Management (UK), PricewaterhouseCoopers (Ghana) Ltd, and the MoE/GES, among others.
He founded Greenfield Education Group (GEG), a development consultancy firm, and the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST). Dr Armah serves as the Co-Chair of the African Curriculum Association (ACA) headquartered in Uganda and Chair of ACA’s publications committee.
7.Sheila Bartels-Sams
Riding on the back of her father’s feat, Sheila Bartels-Sams toppled the incumbent MP for Ablekuma North by a wide margin.
While the newcomer gained 518 votes, her closest contender and sitting MP, Nana Akua Afriyie, had 315. Kwadwo Barwuah polled 88 while John Agbotey managed only 20 votes.
She is an entrepreneur and CEO of Incharge Global Ghana.
She was born to Hon. Kwamena Bartels, a former Minister of Information during the Kufuor administration, she hopes to occupy the seat once held by her father in 1996.
8. Salifu Yakubu
After several attempts, Salifu Yakubu defeated the incumbent MP for Wa East, Bayon Godfrey Tangu.
Salifu Yakubu had 214 votes, Godfrey Bayong Tangu got 182, Adam Nasirideen Baduon – 16 and Dr Adams Sorekuong – 140.
Yakubu, who was a former NPP Regional Organiser, lost the competition to Mr Tangu in 2016. But he came back strong this year to unseat the current legislator. Salifu Yakubu is one of the financiers of the NPP in the Wa East constituency.
9.Michael Okyere Baafi
The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board managed to snatch the New Juaben South seat from one of the most important legislators for the party in Parliament.
His opponent was Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, the Chairman of the Finance Committee in Parliament, and a member of the Economic Management Team (EMT) of the government.
Despite the daunting task, he accumulated 372 votes to oust Dr Assibey-Yeboah, who had 200.
Mr Baafi was the Head of Sales and Marketing at Phoenix Insurance.
He holds an MBA in Marketing and Corporate Strategy from the University of Ghana, and a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree, University of Cape Coast.
He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK and has over 10 years’ experience in insurance marketing.
Mr Baafi served as the Vice Chairman of the New Juaben South constituency of the party.
Being an MP a thankless job – Assibey-Yeboah concedes defeat
10. Farouk Aliu Mahama
For a first timer, the son of former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama had a resounding victory in Yendi.
By the close of the polls, the results were:
Farouk Aliu Mahama – 244
Abibata Shanni Zakariah – 210
Baba Osman Daney – 139
Farouk is a deputy procurement manager at Ghana Cocoa Board.
Farouk Aliu Mahama holds a Master’s in Supply Chain Management from Coventry University in the United Kingdom and a Certified International Supply Chain Professional from the International Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Institute-USA.
11.Patrick Bannor
The newcomer defeated incumbent Benhazin Joseph Dahah in Asutifi North.
The provisional results were:
Joseph Daha – 161
Patrick Bannor – 189
Stephen Akuoko – 78
Frimpong William – 41
12. George Obeng
George Obeng, a newbie, dethroned the incumbent Joseph Albert Quarm in Saturday’s primaries.
The outcome of the election is below:
Manso Nkwanta
Emmanuel Boakye Yiadom – 38
Albert Quarm – 157
George Obeng – 217
Owusu Mensah – 40
Grace Addo – 189
13.Habib Iddrisu
Habib Iddrisu handed a defeat to incumbent MP for Tolon, Wahab Suhiyini Wumbei.
The result for Tolono constituency was:
Wahab Suhiyini Wumbei – 164
Habib Iddrisu – 338
Jagbo Baako – 10
Mohammed Zakaria – 20
Hajia Amana Sayibu – 2
Habib Iddrisu is the Deputy Head of the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) in charge of Tema and its enclaves and one of the first people who picked and filed his nomination forms in the Northern Region promising a wind of change for the people of the area.
He is known to have initiated self-help projects for women groups within the Tolon area.
He also rolled out empowerment programmes for the youth. His interventions include the creation of an educational fund to cater for needy students in the constituency.
14.Sylvester Tetteh
Mr Tetteh won the mandate to represent the Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro Constituency with 317 votes, while the incumbent, Alhaji Saad, had 178 votes.
The rest of the aspirants were Fred Annan and George Addo Osei Waare who garnered 36 and six votes, respectively. Another aspirant, Gifty Mensah, failed to obtain a single vote.
Mr Tetteh was a former NPP parliamentary candidate for Prampram in the Greater Accra Region.
15.Samuel Erickson Abakah
Mr Abakah unseated Mr Panford at Shama in the Western Region.
Shama results:
Ato Panford – 209
Samuel Erickson Abakah– 263
16.John Kobina Amoah Sannie
Mpohor Constituency
Alex Agyekum – 100
John Kobina Amoah Sannie – 192
The CEO of the John Sanie Foundation defeated the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth and Sports with almost a 100-vote difference.
17.Edward Amo-Acquah
Amenfi East Constituency
Patrick Same – 234
Edward Amo-Acquah – 562
Mr Amo-Acquah outclassed the incumbent by double votes with overwhelming support from delegates in the constituency.
18. Dr Festus Koffie
Upper Denkyira East
Dr Festus Koffie – 279
Nana Amoakoh – 243
Nii Duodu – 51
Charles Afari – 14
Dr Koffie got the nod to represent the NPP in the 2020 election, with delegates giving him the approval. Mr Amoakoh has held the seat for the past 20 years and was seeking to get back to Parliament.
19.Emmanuel Adjei Domson
Asikuma Odobeng Brakwa Constituency Emmanuel Adjei Domson – 244
Samuel Ofori Ampomah – 162
Anthony Effah – 192
Ampong Ansah Banasco – 25
Bright Essilfie Kumi – 9
Ernest Kojo Smith – 4
A former District Chief Executive for the area, Emmanuel Adjei Domson replaced incumbent Anthony Effah.
It was the only constituency in the Central Region with fierce competition, as five aspirants challenged for the seat.
20. Lariba Abudu
Walewale
Lariba Abudu – 275
Dr. Susana Aga – 161
Dr Sagre Bambangi – 96
Seth Boyoyo – 43
Ibrahim Issahaku – 24
Dr Yidana Zakari – 23
A Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Development Authority, Lariba Abudu, swept the seat from Deputy Agric Minister Dr Sagre Bambangi. By a wide margin, Lariba ousted the incumbent MP, who was running his third bid.
21.Ebenezer Dwamena
Ebenezer Dwamena caused a stir at the Twifo Atti-Mokwaa Constituency in the Central Region. He shocked the incumbent MP by securing 206 votes to book the slot.
Abraham Dwuma Odoom has been in Parliament for just a term, but he was unsuccessful in his attempt to secure the party’s ticket to get back with only 119 votes.
A lecturer with the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Francis Owusu-Mensah, came second with 180 votes.
22. Joseph Frimpong
Mr Frimpong amassed the most votes to capture the Nkawkaw Constituency slot, defeating the incumbent Eric Kwakye Darfour by a wide margin.
Mr Darfour has been in Parliament for two terms, since 2012, but failed this time with a new face showing up. A former member of Parliament, Seth Adjei Baah, failed at a comeback bid.
Nkawkaw
Eric Kwakye Darfour – 159
Joseph Frimpong – 206
Seth Adjei Baah – 166
David Asante – 73
Joyce Opoku Boateng – 82
Kwabena Adusa – 28
23.Salifu Naluwie
4Sissala West Constituency
Patrick Adamu – 145
Salifu Naluwie – 221
John Boscos Luri Tia – 9
A former District Chief Executive for Sissala West, Salifu Naliwie, grabbed the slot fr5m the incumbent Patric Adamu. Mr Naluwie served under the Kufuor administration.
24.Issahaku Amidu Chinnia
In the Sissala East Constituency, the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Issahaku Amidu Chinnia, defeated Mr Ridwan Abass Dauda, the incumbent MP for Sissala East in the NPP primaries.
He obtained his first degree from the University of Development Studies (UDS Tamale campus).
Amidu Chinnia Issahaku is a teacher by profession.
25. Mr Yves Hanson Nortey
Mr Yves Hanson Nortey was elected NPP Parliamentary candidate for Tema Central with 187 votes.
He defeated the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP,) Mr Kofi Brako, who had 158 votes. Mr Brako was seeking a third term as an MP.
Mr Nortey is the Founder & CEO of JP Hanson Holdings Limited.
The firm is an investment holding company with investments in the real estate, construction, horticulture, mining and marine and offshore oil services industries in Africa.
26. Akwasi Konadu
In a close contest, the incumbent MP for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah had 273 votes whereas the only contender, Akwasi Konadu secured 278 votes.
Only five votes separated the two.
The two have contested against each other since 2012 and in the two previous occasions, Mr Amankwah, came tops, but not this time.
Mr Konadu, who is a trained accountant, has served the party in the constituency in different capacities.
He was a polling station chairman and election observer in both the 2012 and 2016 elections.
“People of the constituency were asking for change, and the delegates have given the change they were asking for”, Mr Konadu said after his victory. “It’s been long-awaited, so you can see the jubilation that they asked for.”
27. Stephen Amoah
The Chief Executive of Microfinance and Loans Centre (MASLOC), Stephen Amoah, defeated the incumbent MP for Nhyiaeso in Kumasi, Kennedy Kankam.
Mr Amoah won with 332 votes as against Mr Kankam’s 315 votes.
28.Joseph Gerald Nii Tetteh Nyanyofio
Mr Nyanyofio had a comfortable victory over incumbent MP for La Dadekotopon Vincent Sowah Odotei.
At the end of the polls, Mr Nyanyofio won with 543 votes as compared to Mr Odotei’s 376 votes. The third aspirant, Comfort A. Kotei, managed 46 votes.
In April 2020, Mr Odotei lost his role as Deputy Minister of Communications after a mini reshuffle by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr Nyanyofio is a Lecturer in Management, Public Administration, Organizational Behaviour and Business Policy and Strategy in the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
His main area of expertise and interest are in the fields of management, driving accelerated change in the complex public sector, as well as private sector environments, sustaining management structures and administrative theory.
Gerald has served as both Organising Secretary and General Secretary of the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana, UPSA branch , and was thus appointed as a member of the Academic Board of the University as a representative of Convocation for four years.
Also, he was appointed as the Secretary to the Sponsorship and Publicity Committee that laid the groundwork for the maiden International Conference on Business Management and Entrepreneurial Development (ICBMED), which has been an annual flagship programme of the University since 2015.
29. Ernest Yaw Kumi
Yaw Kumi dethroned incumbent MP for Akwatia constituency, Mercy Adu Gyamfi, also known as Ama Sey.
Mr Kumi polled 227 votes while Ama Sey had 223 votes.
The other aspirants, Bernard Owiredu, had 77 votes with Robert Ampretwum garnering 13 votes.
Mr Kumi is a corporate governance expert with diverse expertise in risk management, logistics and administration, fraud detections and investigation with strong business acumen.
He has over 10 years specialisation in administration planning and governance, policy and process developments and implementation, financial management, project leads, budget preparations, human resource management, supply chain management and new business generations.
He is a member of the party’s national communication team. He holds a Bachelor of Law from Mount Crest University, an MBA (Corporate Governance) from University of Professional Studies, Accra, Professional Certificate in Corporate Governance from Institute of Directors Ghana and an Executive Mastery Certificate in Business Administration and Enterprise Leadership (Project Management, Logistics and Transport Management Options) from Graduate School of Governance and Leadership, among a host of certificates.
Known as the Akwatia Star Boy, he has served on several committees in the NPP, including the Eastern Regional Youth Finance Working Committee.
30.Alexander Akwasi Acquah
Mr Acquah won comfortably by 215 against the incumbent for Akim Oda, Agyapong Quaittoo, who had 170 and Asante Bediako who got two votes.
Mr Acquah is a Journalist and the Chief Executive Officer of Community Hospitals Group.
31.Ms Paulina Patience Tangoba Abayage
The Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Abayage kicked out the Minister of Aviation, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda in the Navrongo Central constituency.
Ms Abayage polled 307 votes as against Mr Adda’s 266 votes.
She would become the first female to occupy the Navrongo Central seat if she can defeat her contestants in the main parliamentary elections in December.
Ms Abagaye is a Ghanaian diplomat and Ghana’s former ambassador to Italy.
32. Adelaide Yaa Agyeiwaa Ntim
Adelaide Yaa Agyeiwaa Ntim defeated the incumbent MP Kwame Asafu Adjei to represent the NPP in the Nsuta Kwamang-Biposo constituency in the 2020 parliamentary polls.
Before the polls, Ms Ntim had to come out to deny forcing delegates to swear by the Antoa Nyamaa deity in the Ashanti Region.
Some delegates claimed that they were compelled to swear by the river god to be loyal to Ms Ntim before taking some goodies.
However, Ms Ntim said that was not the case as the provision she made was to cater for the lorry fare of delegates.
Ahead of the upcoming new voter registration exercise, she provided some financial support to the party at Nsuta in the Sekyere Central District.
33. Edward Amo Kow
Edward Amo Kow was victorious against the incumbent legislator, Patrick Kwame Bogyako Saim, in the Amenfi East Constituency in Western Region.
34.Nana Kwaku Owusu Acheampong
In the Atwima-Kwanwoma constituency, Nana Kwaku Owusu Acheampong
floored Dr Kojo Appiah-Kubi to take the slot.
Nana Owusu Acheampong is a presidential staffer at the Ministry of Special Development Initiative.
35. Kwadwo Asante
Kwadwo Asante, an educationist who was contesting for the first time, polled 394 votes with Fredrick Opare Ansah, the incumbent, garnering 272 votes in the Suhum constituency.
Mr Opare-Ansah, known popularly as ‘Suhum Mugabe’, has been one of the longest-serving MPs in the country and wanted to go for a fifth term but Mr Asante ended his ambitions.
36. Nelson Kyeremeh
Nelson Kyeremeh unseated incumbent MP Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah, in Berekum East in the Bono Region.
Nelson holds an Advanced Diploma in Business Studies from the Institute of Commercial Management, UK. and a Graduate Diploma in Management Studies from the same institution.
He is currently pursuing an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability at the University of Cumbria, Ambleside, UK.
Nelson has 10 years’ experience as a teacher and also served as the Business Development Manager for Wegdam Food Link BV, Netherlands.
He works as the Administrator at AGYENGOPLUS Transport & Logistical Services, Tema.
He also works as the Logistics Officer of LA Bianca Company Limited.
37.Paul Twum Barimah
Mr William Kwasi Sabi, the MP for Dormaa East, lost to Mr Paul Twum Barimah.
Mr Barimah is an employee of ENI Ghana, a multi-national oil company that operates in several countries across the globe.
Before the polls, Mr Barima donated two hospital beds and other assorted items to the Dormaa District Hospital Emergency Unit on St. Valentine’s Day.
His Paul Twum-Barima Foundation also organised several health screening exercises for the people of Dormaa Akwamu in the Dormaa East district in the Bono region.
38. Isaac Yaw Opoku
In the Offinso South Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Isaac Yaw Opoku polled 473 votes to beat the incumbent, Ben Abdallah, who had 166 votes. The third aspirant in the race, Desmond Chris Appiah, had 43 votes.
Ben Abdallah is a third-term MP and the chair of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament.
The MP was at the centre of protests within the constituency after an aspirant was disqualified.
Some of your entries do not indicate the Constituencies…
Good workdone