The people of Nkoranza North constituency will today vote to elect their Member of Parliament(MP), a seat which effectively became vacant a little over a year ago but only declared vacant last month following the resignation of Eric Amoateng, who is being tried in America on charges of smuggling heroine.

As the curtain for the end of campaigning for the by-election drew to a close over the weekend, the heavyweights of the two leading political parties in the country, stormed the area, in a last minute effort to boost their campaigns, which had started unofficially, long before the Speaker of Parliament announced the resignation of the former Member of Parliament (MP) and declaring that seat vacant.

Both President John Agyekum Kufuor and former president Jerry John Rawlings, led their party teams into the constituency to whip up enthusiasm of their supporters and also attempt to convert a few more to their side. President Kufuor, with an army of ministers and New Patriotic Party (NPP) functionaries in tow, stormed the constituency on Saturday, called on the Paramount Chief of Nkoranza, Okatakyie Agyemang Kudom and also addressed separate rallies there.

At the meeting with the chief, President Kufuor informed the chief of the signing of agreements on the Bui Dam and said what was left was for the contractors to execute the project.

President Kufuor also visited, Dromankese, Busunya, Fiema, Yefri, Karanka, Manso and Pinihini, where he addressed separate rallies, urging the people to vote for the NPP candidate, Major Derrick Oduro (Rtd) to enable them continue to benefit from the good works of Mr. Eric Amoateng, the former MP, who is faced with charges of drug trafficking and languishing in a US jail. He advised the constituents to continue to pray for the incarcerated MP since he had not been convicted.

Speaking about his rule, the President said his government has performed creditably well, which has put the nation in the good books of many countries, adding that a clear manifestation of this is the invitation extended to him by Queen Elizabeth II, to visit Buckingham Palace on March 15.

He said another manifestation of that was the choosing of the country to chair the African Union as well as the visit of various Heads of State to Ghana during the 50th Independence Anniversary celebration. According to President Kufuor, the nation is on track, as the economy, good governance, freedom of expression, rule of law and respect for human rights are working.

Earlier, Party Chairman, Mr. Peter Mac Manu, Prince Ofosu Adjei, who stood as an independent candidate during the 2004 general elections against Amoateng, Deputy Interior Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Mr. Kwaku Ampofo Twumasi and the parliamentary candidate took turns to address students of Yefriman Secondary School.

Prince Ofosu Adjei told the students that plans were far advanced for government to enroll the school as a government assisted one and disclosed that the NPP Chairman had donated ¢10 million towards the construction of a girls’ dormitory for the school.

Former President Rawlings, on the other hand, arrived in the constituency yesterday morning and led an NDC delegation to visit the residence of the late Munufie, a former NDC Chairman and later Ghana’s ambassador to the Ivory Coast and also called on the Paramount Chief of Nkoranza.

He and his entourage were expected to visit Bono Manso, Karanka, Bodom, Yefri, Fiema, Busunya and Dromankese. At Dromankese, the former president was expected to address a mammoth rally that would also be addressed by party Chairman Dr. Kwabena Adjei, National Organiser, Ofosu Ampofo, Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe and a host of others.