The Member of Parliament-Elect for Ablekuma West, Rev Kweku Addo, has shared the story behind his unexpected decision to enter politics, despite the common view that it is a “dirty profession” and his background as a pastor.
In an interview on Metro TV, Rev Addo revealed that he had never intended to pursue a career in politics or run for any political office.
However, his entry into the political arena was influenced by his late friend, Humphrey Mensah, the son of the late Ghanaian statesman ET Mensah.
While Rev Addo was working in the United States, Mensah frequently urged him to join the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
After returning to Ghana for a break, Rev Addo agreed to attend an NDC meeting in Dansoman, a community in the Ablekuma West Constituency, at Mensah’s invitation.
After attending several party meetings, Rev Addo became interested in the NDC and decided to read its constitution.
This led to Humphrey Mensah encouraging him to run for Member of Parliament in the Ablekuma West constituency. With support from party executives, Rev Addo was eventually convinced to run.
“After reading the NDC constitution, I found it to be a simple and humane document. A friend of mine, Humphrey Mensah, kept inviting me to meetings, and when I visited some of them, I realized I could contribute” he explained.
Rev Addo contested the party primaries in 2019 and, to his surprise, won. “I stood against a gentleman, PDA, and I won. Once you win, there’s no turning back,” he remarked.
Despite losing in the 2020 parliamentary election, Rev Addo did not give up. Reflecting on the loss, he said, “I didn’t know much about the process in 2020. After that, I gained a better understanding of what I had gotten myself into. That experience helped me improve and work harder, which ultimately led to my success in 2024.”
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