Before the 8th Parliament of Ghana, the executive arm of the Government of Ghana always had its way when it came to the approval of its policies because its party most enjoyed a substantial majority in the house.

The Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government has not had it easy when it comes to getting parliamentary approval for most of its policies and programmes, as required by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, due to the hang nature of this 8th Parliament.

With only 137 Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and 137 MPs from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and one independent MP, the Akufo-Addo government has on several occasions had a daunting task getting the numbers needed for approval of its policies.

This has made the 2024 parliamentary election even more important for the political parties because winning the presidency and not having a command of parliament means trouble when it comes to getting the necessary approval for your policies.

A number of appointees of President Akufo-Addo decided to contest in the NPP parliamentary primaries.

Majority of them won their bid to represent the party in the 2024 parliamentary election in their various constituencies and would be fighting to snatch the parliamentary seat currently being occupied by the NDC.




Below is a list of Akufo-Addo appointees and the NDC MPs they would be hoping to unseat

Akosua Manu Kozie



Akosua Manu (Kozie) is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Youth Authority.

She polled 814 votes against her closest contender, Kwasi Obeng Fosu who had 638 votes, to become the parliamentary candidate of the NPP for the Adentan Constituency.

She would be hoping to unseat Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, the current NDC MP for Adentan.

Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei



Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei is a deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. She was previously appointed by Akufo-Addo as the Deputy Minister of Information.

Dokua Asiamah-Adjei won the Okaikwei North New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary with 341 votes, beating the former deputy chief executive of MASLOC Alberta Afia Akoto and the former MP for the constituency Fuseini Issa.

She would be contesting against the current NDC MP for Okaikwei North, Theresa Lardi Awuni, in the 2024 general elections.

Eugene Arhin



Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, won the NPP candidature for the Awutu Senya Constituency

He polled 862 votes whereas his rival Amos Opei Okine garnered 119.

Eugene Arhin will be contesting NDC MP for the Awutu Senya Constituency, Gizella Tetteh in the December 2024 polls.

Pius Enam Hadzide



Pius Enam Hadzide, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), was elected the parliamentary candidate for the Asuogyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region.

He polled 423 while his opposing contenders, Paul Asare Ansah, Chief Michael Ansah, and Nana Abrokwa Asare, pulled 131, 113, and 94, respectively.

Pius Enam Hadzide would be hoping to beat Ing Daniel A. Martey, the NDC parliamentary candidate for the Asuogyaman Constituency for the 2024 elections. The seat is currently occupied by NDC’s Thomas Nyarko Ampem.

Jefferson Sackey



Jefferson Sackey, a Deputy Director of Communication at the Office of the President, beat his contenders, Collins Amoah, a businessman; Ebenezer Nii Narh Nartey, a former MP for the constituency; and Samuel Brako-Amoafo, a businessman, and emerged as the parliamentary candidate to represent the NPP in the 2024 parliamentary elections for the Ablekuma Central Constituency.

He won the primaries by polling 539 of the votes cast.

He would be hoping to unseat Dan Abdul-Latif, the current NDC MP for Ablekuma Central in the 2024 polls.

Dr Bernad Okoe Boye



Dr Bernard Okoe Boye is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority. He was previously appointed by Akufo-Addo as the Deputy Minister for Health.

Dr Okoe Boye, a former MP for Ledzokuku Constituency, emerged the NPP parliamentary candidate for the area again with with 902 votes, beating stiff competition from Clifford Martey, Ibrahim Adjei, a presidential staffer, and Collins Nii Ashitey Ollenu, the NPP parliamentary candidate for the 2020 general elections.

He would be hoping to unseat, the NDC Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Benjamin Narteh Ayiki, come December 2024.

BAI/OBG

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