NPP Primaries; Atwima Kwanwoma Is A Constituency To Watch

Come December 7, 2020, Ghana will be going to the polls to decide who becomes the President of the Republic and the Parliamentarians of the various constituencies for the year January 2021 to December 2024.

As usual, campaigns have been intensified by Political Parties especially the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress. For the NDC, all is set for them except who becomes the running mate to the immediate past President, John Dramani Mahama.

The introduction of Independent Gane and the Ghana Union Movement, GUM is not surprising albeit it promises to make this year’s election captivating and competitive. There is going to be a Pastor running for President this year. The NPP will, however, be choosing their Parliamentary Candidates for Constituencies with sitting MPs and the obvious choice for the Presidential race, His Excellency the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo on 25th April 2020.

The Ablekuma, Efutu, Bosomtwe and the Nhyiaso constituency are some constituencies where their contests are predictable. Constituencies such as Bantama where the current Deputy Chief of Staff, Assenso wants to snatch the seat from one of the vocal MPs, Hon. Okyem Aboagye and the Adansi Asokwa Constituency where the former NUGS President, Sammy Binfo is bringing the hell out of Hon KT Hammond who for the first time in his twenty years in Parliament will be having a primary contest, are some constituencies we should be watching out for a keen contest.

The Atwima Kwanwoma constituency is one of the biggest constituencies in the Ashanti Region where the NPP has been canvassing enough votes from. It has been the stronghold of the party but much attention has not been given to it. It’s probably because it has a Member of Parliament who is hardly seen speaking in the media or on the floor of Parliament. I acknowledge speaking in the media or on the floor of parliament is not the standard measure for the performance of an MP.

We, however, cannot deny the fact that it has effects on the MP and to some extent the constituency. Many constituents have been using that in assessing their Member of Parliament hence there is the need for Atwima Kwanwoma to get an MP who is eloquent in advocating for his constituents.

This year, the vibrant Kofi Amankwa Manu is eyeing the seat which is currently occupied by the three terms MP, Hon. Dr. Kojo Appiah Kubi. Nana Kwaku Owusu Acheampong will also be in the race but this article will concentrate more on Kofi Amankwa and Dr. Appiah Kubi since they are the favorites of the contest judging from the grounds.

The Atwima Kwanwoma Primaries is similar to the upcoming General Presidential Election where the sitting President and the Opposition’s leader will be meeting for the third time with each candidate having won one.

The only dichotomy with Atwima Kwanwoma’s is that the incumbent has won all the previous two. The incumbent won with about twenty five votes margin in the last contest.

The most interesting part is that Dr. Kojo Appiah Kubi won the seat in 2007 from the first NPP MP of the constituency, Dr. MK Antwi. Dr. MK Antwi won a parliamentary primary contest from Kofi Amankwa’s father, the late Kwasi Amankwa Manu who was the first NPP Parliamentary Candidate in 1992 when the New Patriotic Party boycotted the General Parliamentary Elections.

Both candidates happen to be natives of the constituency. Lawyer Kofi Amankwa Manu comes from Foase whereas Dr. Kojo Appiah Kubi comes from Twedie. There is always a political, social or economic tension between these two communities with each community wanting to claim the bragging rights and supremacy of power. Currently, the Twedie community is the capital of the District.

Not long ago, I believe we all heard the news about the shootings and killings at Foase all because the District Capital was moved to Twedie after many years of court deliberations on which community has the legal right to be the District capital of Atwima Kwanwoma District. It is one of the examples of the rivalries that exist between these two communities. This rivalry has been extended to our political realm in the constituency.

Foase as a community would want to catch up with the twelve years of Parliamentary dominance over them by the Twedie community. Will there be a change or a continuation in Atwima Kwanwoma?

These are some reasons why I think the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency is also a constituency to watch out for a keen and fascinating contest this year. In my subsequent write up, I will be telling you why the Change slogan is stronger than the Toaso slogan in Atwima Kwanwoma this year.

Emmanuel Kwabena Domfeh (Sir Noble),

Secretary, Ahenema Kokoben NPP Youth Wing