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29.05.2006 General News

Parties get set for Nkoranza North battle

By The Chronicle
Parties get set for Nkoranza North battle
29.05.2006 LISTEN

Even though Parliament has not declared the Nkoranza North Constituency seat held by Eric Amoateng vacant, the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress have already turned the area into a battle zone, with the NPP commandeering its District Chief Executives in the region into the constituency to intensify the underground work.

As of Thursday May 25, all 17 DCEs and one Municipal Chief Executive in the Brong Ahafo had invaded the constituency in a combined effort to retain the seat.

The seat is now lying fallow, after its occupant, Nana Eric Amoateng was busted in the United States of American alongside one Nii Okai Adjei for processing drugs suspected to be heroin. Currently the MP is facing eight counts of drug related charges in a US law court of law.

The leading minority party, NDC is leaving no stone unturned, and has also after a fierce internal battle between a father and his son, settled with the thirty- year old son, a medical director of the St. Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza, Dr. Kofi Amoako Gyanpah.

The party was initially having it tough selecting a candidate as Mr. Hayford Amoako, the father of the selected candidate had declared his intention to contest the seat.

Mr. Amoako, a Registrar at the University for Development Studies was beaten by Eric Amoateng in the 2004 polls, having occupied the seat for two consecutive terms.

Dr. Amoako got the nod of the NDC scouts due mainly to his ability to wrestle the seat from the NPP, because of his service as a medical officer for the only district hospital in the Nkoranza District.

Reports from the NPP camp reveal that currently four names are in circulation as those most likely to upstage Dr. Amoako, and reliable sources have confirmed that one Mr. Derrick Oduro, a sachet water manufacture and an ex- Army Officer has just the right grass root support and spirit to do the job.

DCEs who threw themselves into the intense battle preparations to fertilise the grounds included the Kintampo North and South, Nkoranza, Techiman Municipal, Wenchi, Atebubu, Pru and Tain.

The rest were: Jaman North and South, Berekum, Dormaa, Tano North and South. The rest were Asutifi, Asunafo North and South and Sene districts.

Also with the DCEs were the Regional Minister designate, Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah and some Regional Executives such as Nana Obiri Boahen, the B/A Regional chairman of the NPP, the Regional Organiser, master tactician Kofi Darko, the Regional Secretary, Mr. Kusi, Mr. Yaw Addae Owusu, the copted Financial Secretary, who is described as the chief planner of the electioneering campaign.

The NDC on the other hand is yet to take full flight, but their local team from the Nkoranza North and South and Techiman North and the fearsome Techiman South team are in the frontiers of the battle zone marshalling the constituency ground assault troops to charge into battle proper as soon as the whistle goes.

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