I had plans for murdered MP – Akufo-Addo reveals

President Nana Akufo-Addo has mourned the passing of the MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Hayford, revealing he had penciled him for an appointment in his next government.

Nana Akufo-Addo said “he was part of the young people I wanted to appoint in my next government. But unfortunately, this happened,” the President told his family during a visit Monday.

Ekow Quansah Hayford was killed on the dawn of October 9, 2020, by a group of armed men suspected to robbers while heading home from an evening campaign at Abeaze Dominase.

The armed robbers ordered them out after seizing their belongings, including mobile phones and monies, before shooting him.

His driver has been hospitalised while other party executives who were in the four-wheel drive escaped unhurt.

The President noted that he had tasked the IGP, James Oppong Boanuh, to ensure those responsible for the gruesome murder of his party’s MP are brought to book.

“I’ve spoken to the IGP about this, and I’ve told him that if I don’t see any action from him, then what will happen will happen.”

The MP had only filed his nomination for the 2020 parliamentary elections Wednesday and moved into his constituency to campaign.

The late Ekow Quansah Hayford is survived by a wife and two children.

Speaking at the deceased’s family house, President Akufo-Addo pledged his support for the immediate family he left behind.

His politics

Ekow Quansah is a first-term MP who was seeking re-election in 2020.  In 2016 he snatched the seat from the NDC represented by James Esseon.

But that race was tight.  He won by 726 votes to add to the NPP’s impressive haul of seats in that election.

In the 2020 NPP parliamentary primaries, Ekow retained the confidence of his party, beating James Korsah Brown by a margin of 346 votes.

His professional life

Ekow Quansah was a police officer between 1993 and 1998. He left the service as a Corporal. Two years later, he was appointed a manager at Mantrac.

He would later become CEO of Modisa Lodge from 2012 to 2016 before contesting the Mfansteman seat.

Parliamentary life

In parliament, he was a member of the Defence and Interior Committee and Judiciary Committee. In parliament, he is not known to be one who sits on the fence.

Asking questions, making statements, the MP tried to represent his constituency in the chamber. In July 2018 he asked the Minister for Energy what plans are in place to extend power supply to the following communities in Mfantseman Constituency: (i) Nameb (ii) Mankesim (iii) Taabosim (iv) Hini.