The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced the conduct of parliamentary primaries to elect a new candidate for the Ejisu constituency following the unfortunate demise of John Ampontuah Kumah, the former Member of Parliament and Deputy Finance Minister.
The parliamentary primaries according to the ruling party is slated for Saturday, April 13, 2024, to elect a candidate to fill the vacant seat in Ghana’s legislative body, necessitated by Mr Kumah’s passing.
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua, in a statement urged interested aspirants eyeing the parliamentary position to procure and submit their nomination forms within a specified timeframe.
“The New Patriotic Party, has approved the timelines for holding parliamentary primary by-election at Ejisu”
Justin Frimpong Koduah Esq.
As per the announcement, prospective candidates can obtain and file their nomination forms between Tuesday, April 2, and Thursday, April 4, 2024, at the constituency party office.
Furthermore, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Koduah outlined the financial obligations for aspiring parliamentary candidates, stipulating a non-refundable application fee of GHȼ3,000 in bankers draft, payable to the New Patriotic Party National Headquarters Account in Accra, for the acquisition of nomination forms.
Additionally, Lawyer Koduah noted that candidates are mandated to submit a non-refundable filing fee of GHȼ35,000, also in bankers draft, to the same entity.
However, the General Secretary of the ruling new Patriotic Party highlighted a significant provision in the statement, indicating that women, youth, particularly individuals aged between 18 and 40 years, and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) would benefit from a 50% rebate on the filing fees.
Consequently, Lawyer Koduah stressed that qualifying candidates from these demographics will be required to pay a reduced non-refundable filing fee of GHȼ17,500.
NPP Forms Election Committee
Moreover, to ensure the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, the New Patriotic Party General Secretary indicated that the party has formed an Election Committee (EC) tasked with supervising the entire process of the parliamentary primaries leading to the by-election.
The committee, per the statement of the party’s General Secretary, Lawyer Koduah is headed by Mr. Danquah Smith Butey as Chairman and Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako as Vice Chairman.
Other notable members of the committee include the Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Honorable Patricia Appiagyei, Madam Martha Kodua, and Mr. Evans Nimako serving as Secretary.
Additionally, the Chairperson of the Constituency Council of Elders and all Constituency Executives will serve as ex-officio members of the committee.
In addition, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Koduah emphasized the party’s commitment to conducting the parliamentary primaries in adherence to detailed rules and regulations approved by the party.
He noted that the party would provide its rules and regulations regarding the primaries to all stakeholders involved in the electoral process in due time.
While the ruling New Patriotic Party has set the date to elect its candidate for the Ejisu Constituency by-election, the Electoral Commission is yet to announce an official date for the event.
In an earlier statement, the Electoral Commission of Ghana expressed its readiness to conduct the by-elections in the Ejisu Constituency in the Ashanti Region, following the tragic demise of the Member of Parliament for the Constituency and Deputy Finance Minister, Dr John Ampontuah Kumah Esq.
The Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, affirming the ‘Commission’s readiness to conduct the by-elections in Ejisu Constituency, further indicated that the Commission would conduct the by-election in accordance with the provision of the 1992 Republican Constitution.
He also assured the general public, particularly the people of Ejisu Constituency in the Ashanti Region that the commission is fully equipped to kick-start the by-election process immediately when it receives official notification of the vacancy from Parliament.
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