Joyce Larnyoh, country Director of the International Child Development Program (ICDP), Non-Governmental organization with focus on girls, has appealed to the electorate in the Eastern Region to vote for the 12 women contesting as parliamentary candidates in the general elections.

She said, "We need more women voices in the decision making of the development of our nation, therefore I want to make a passionate appeal to you all to give these twelve women the chance to represent the region."

Speaking in an interview with the GNA, Mrs Larnyoh indicated that if every region was able to vote for at least 10 women it would increase women's participation in governance to advance the cause of Ghana's democracy.

The 33 women are contesting in eleven out of 33 constituencies in the region on the tickets of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Convention People's Party (CPP) and the Liberty Party of Ghana (LPG), with one contesting as an independent candidate.

The constituencies are Atiwa East, Abirem, Akropong, Abuakwa North, Afram Plains North, New Juaben South, New Juaben North, Akim Oda, Achiase, Fanteakwa North and Suhum.

Four of the candidates are incumbents and they are Mrs Abena Osei-Asare, MP for Atiwa East who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Finance, Mrs Nana Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, Akropong MP and Deputy Information Minister, Mrs Gifty Twum-Ampofo, MP for Abuakwa North and Deputy Minister for Education and Ms Betty Krosbi Mensah, MP for Kwahu Afram Plains North for the NDC.

The rest are Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong (NDC), Abirem, Amanda Okyere Kwatia (NDC), Suhum, Mrs Petra Adwoa Penianah (GUM), New Juaben South, Ms Lucy Ansah (GUM), Akim Oda, Mrs Christiana Yeboaa (GUM), Achiase, Ms Gifty Anakwa (CPP), Akropong, Ms Dorcas Brobbey (LPG), New Juaben North and Ms Faustina Kwakye Yeboah (Independent), Fanteakwa North.

With the exception of the Akropong constituency where two women are contesting the same seat, in the persons of Nana Dokua Asiamah-Adjei of the NPP and Ms Fifty Anakwa of the CPP, all the remaining ten constituencies have one woman contesting several men including incumbent MPs.

In the Abirem constituency, Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, a former Eastern Regional Minister and former District Chief Executive (DCE) is contesting for the third time.

Madam Faustina Kwakye Yeboaa, the only female independent candidate in the region, would be contesting Mr Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah, the NPP incumbent MP and Mr Haruna Apaw Wiredu (NDC) for the Fanteakwa North Constituency seat.