The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates who determine the party’s representatives in Parliament have decided to oust about 30 lawmakers in their just ended parliamentary primaries.
Bigwigs and heads of crucial committees of Parliament including the Chairpersons of the powerful Finance Committee of the Legislature, Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah and the Committee on Communications, Fredrick Opare-Ansah were dethroned by party delegates in New Juaben South and Suhum Constituencies respectively in last Saturday’s primaries.
The defeat of such highly experienced and dependable lawmakers, according to political watchers, is likely to affect the work of the majority NPP caucus in parliament as the vanquished may not be motivated to contribute effectively in the House.
Other casualties were the Education Committee Chairman, Mr William Quaitoo who was dethroned in the Akim Oda constituency and Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Ben Abdallah in the Offinso South constituency.
The rest are Chairman of Parliament’s Government Assurances Committee and MP for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwaah; Chairman of the Youth and Sports Committee and MP for Mporhor, Alex Agyekum; Chairman of the Health Committee and MP for Berekum East Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah; Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee and MP for Mpraeso, Seth Kwame Acheampong.
In addition to these, the Vice Chairman of the Agriculture Committee and MP for Twifo Ati Morkwa, Abraham Dwuma Odoom; Vice chairman of the Roads and Transport Committee and MP for Tema Central, Kofi Brako and Vice chairman of the Trade and Industry Committee and MP for Shama, Ato Panford.
Ministers lose
The notable casualties in the executive arm of government included Minister for Aviation and MP for Navrongo Central, Joseph Kofi Adda, who lost to Paulina Tangoba Abayage, the Upper East Regional Minister.
A Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture and MP for Walewale, Dr Sabre Bambangi, also lost to Hajia Lariba Abudu, a Deputy CEO of the Northern Development Authority and a former Deputy Minister of Communications, Vincent Sowah Odotei and the MP for La Dadekotopon who lost to Joseph Gerald Tetteh in the contest.
Another lawmaker dethroned was the Deputy Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation and MP for Dormaa East Constituency, William Kwasi Sabi who lost to Paul Apraku Twum-Barimah.
Find below list of some of the losers in the Saturday primaries
Greater Accra Region
Vincent Sowah Odotei – La Dadekotopon
Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh – Ablekuma North
Ahmed Arthur – Okaikwei South
Alhaji Habib Saad – Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro
Kofi Brako -Tema Central
Central Region
Abraham Odoom – Twifo Atti Morkwa
Anthony Effah – Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa
Ashanti Region
Daniel Okyem Aboagye – Bantama Constituency
Collins Owusu Amankwah – Manhyia North Constituency
Kwabena Owusu Aduomi – Ejisu Constituency
Kwame Asafu-Adjei – Nsuta/Kwamang/Beposo
Kennedy Kankam – Nhyiaeso Constituency
Ben Abdallah Banda – Offinso South Constituency
Western Region
Ato Panford-Shama Constituency
Joe Mensah – Kwesimintsim constituency
Alex Agyekum-Mpohor Constituency
Patrick Bogyako Kwame Saime- Amenfi East Constituency
Upper West Region
Godfred Bayong Tangu-Wa East Constituency
Patrick Adama-Sissala West
Ridwan Abass-Sissala East
Eastern Region
Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah – New Juaben South Constituency
Seth Kwame Acheampong – Mpraeso constituency
William Agyapong Qauitoo – Akim Oda Constituency
Frederick Opare-Ansah – Suhum Constituency
Ama Sey- Akwatia Constituency
