Nkoranza warms up for Amoateng’s replacement

Residents of Nkoranza North Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region are grieving over the loss of their jailed MP, Eric Amoateng.

While welcoming the decision to declare the seat vacant to make way for a by-election on March 13, many of the people are coming to terms with the fact that Amoateng will no longer be their representative in Parliament.

Eric Amoateng is being held in a New York jail for possessing narcotics since November 2005.

He resigned his seat only a fortnight ago to pave way for a by-election set to pit the NPP and NDC in another test of popularity. The two leading political parties have already started processes to choose candidates for the contest.

Joy News correspondent, Saeed Ali Yaqub who visited the constituency said the constituents regardless of political affiliations believed the MP's absence had been a real drawback on development.

While they talked about Amoateng's benevolence, hard work and yearning to get development projects to the area, they also thought calling for a by-election was long overdue.

NPP officials are hoping to cash in on sympathy votes to retain the seat and have started meetings with polling station executives to strategize for the by-election.

NPP's National Secretary Nana Ohene Ntow, National organiser Laud Commey, National Women's Organiser Rita Asobayere among others, addressed one such meeting on Monday at Busunya, the constituency capital. The party has already opened nominations for its primaries and hopes to close on Wednesday.