NPP identifies ‘crucial factors’ accounting for loss seats in Central Region

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Central Region says it has identified some crucial factors that accounted for the loss of many of its controlled parliamentary seats during the just-ended polls.

The ruling party attributed the loss to inaccessibility and lack of relationship between its Members of Parliament (MPs) and their constituents as well as unfair job recruitments.

The Party lost nine of its parliamentary seats to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) which swept 13 out of the Region’s 23 seats with nine of them being new, snatched from the NPP.

Mr Stephen Amissah, Central Regional Communications Director of NPP who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Cape Coast described the loss as ‘unexpected’ and ‘regrettable’.

Prior to the 2020 general election, the ruling NPP had 19 seats while the opposition NDC held four parliamentary seats.

Mr Amissah said the Party’s campaign strategy included securing more votes, which saw President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo winning massive votes in 19 constituencies across the Region.

The electorates, according to him, mostly voted “skirt and blouse” mainly because they felt rejected by their MPs who they said were only seeking their personal gains, but sharply denied that assertion.

“Some of the electorates complained of not getting access to their MPs who they also said had failed to continue with projects they commenced, making them feel neglected,” he added.

However, Mr Amissah, refuted claims of non-performance of the MPs saying "our MPs made remarkable socio-economic achievements in their constituencies."

He stated that seven candidates who went unopposed retained their seats except three.

They include Mr Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, MP for Ekumfi and Deputy Fisheries Minister, Mr Alexander Kodwo Kom who vied for the Gomoa West seat, and Dr Samuel Joe Acquah for KEEA.

Those who won included; Efutu MP, Mr. Alexander Afenyo Markin; Special Development Initiative Minister, Awutu Senya East, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson; Assin Central Mr. Ken Agyapong, and Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.

He said the Party would soon meet to re-strategise and recapture its political dominance in the Central Region and also annex Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Agona East and Cape Coast South seats among others that always tilt towards NDC.

The NPP seats won this year are; Effutu, Gomoa Central, Mfantseman, Agona West, Assin South, Assin Central, Awutu Senya West, Upper Denkyira East, Abura-Asebu-Kwamang-Kese (AAK) and Hemang-Lower/Denkyira constituencies.

The NDC, on the other hand, won, Cape Coast South and North, Ekumfi, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam (AEE) and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA).

The rest are Upper Denkyira West, Awutu Senya East, Agona East, Gomoa East, and West, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB), Assin North and Twifo Atti Morkwa constituencies.

The Central Region, considered as a swing region, keep pulling surprises during general election.