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The cushion would obviously be thorny for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his party’s very stronghold, the Ashanti region in the 2020 presidential elections, a MyNewsGh.com special report has shown.
Though he has declared a “4 more for Nana” agenda, the President might not make the record figures that secured him a landslide victory in 2016, as his contender, John Dramani Mahama hopes to increase his tally in the Ashanti region this time round.
A myriad of issues culminating into a complex mix could be the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Achilles heel in the region that handed it 1,647,247 of valid votes in the last polls.
In-fighting amongst top party executives, Members of Parliament and government appointees who do not see don’t see eye to eye, adding to the existing resentment towards the President and the government in mining districts following the two years ban on illegal mining and a general feeling of apathy in the region could be enough to cause the party some precious votes.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah and the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi may only pose for the cameras in public, but it is no secret that the two are at loggerheads.
They have on several occasions differed in matters of public concern in the region, sometimes blaming one another for one or the other issue of public concern that happens in the region.
They are currently divided over how the stalls at the New Kejetia Bus Terminal should be allocated.
In the Sekyere East District, the District Chief Executive, Hon. Mary Boatemaa Marfo is in court with the Member of Parliament for the Effiduase Asokore Constituency, Hon. Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie for alleged battery by the latter.
She has since a feud that marred the President’s visit to the area refused to sign any document that has got to do with the disbursement of the MP’s Common Fund.
She would not sign for 10 tertiary students to benefit from scholarships under the MP’s Common Fund; she has also failed to sign for the disbursement of money to use part of the MP’s Common Fund to support a rural electrification project.
Youth and the chief in the area have asked the President to remove her or development in the district will continue to stall.
Member of Parliament for the Bosome Freho Constituency, Hon. Joyce Dei cannot travel a mile with the District Chief Executive, Hon. Yaw Danso without a fight.
She has on several occasions rained insults on him on live radio and has called him an “illiterate”.
Chairman of The Fomena Constituency, Akwasi Anti Asamoah has vowed to ensure the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon. Andrews Asiamah loses his position in the upcoming primaries.
The legislator is currently in court because according to him, he does not recognize Akwasi Anti Asamoah and his executives as duly elected by the party faithful.
In the Asawase Constituency, the disqualification of dismissed Presidential Staffer, Manaf Ibrahim from contesting the parliamentary candidacy could send some of the already few votes of the NPP in the stronghold of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) into the ballot box for John Mahama or his aggrieved followers may not vote at all.
The mining areas would be the places where the president and his party could lose a lot of votes, following the two years ban on illegal mining.
Youth in mining communities have vowed to vote against the president to compensate for the hardship they had to endure in the tumultuous days of the mining moratorium.
Members of Parliament in mining constituencies like Hon. Albert Quarm, who openly chastised his people for engaging in illegal mining and supported the government’s offensive could lose his seat in the upcoming primaries, MyNewsGh.com has noted.
This story is purely the result of an independent work done by MyNewsGh.com and does not intend to call the elections for either of the frontrunners or in any way suggest the outcome of the elections which is a whole year away.
