The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 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 recruitment.
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.
Central Regional Communications Director of NPP, Stephen Amissah, 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 in the Region.
Mr Amissah said the party’s campaign strategy included securing more votes, which saw President Nana Akufo-Addo winning massive votes in 19 constituencies across the Region.
According to him, the electorate mostly voted “skirt and blouse” because they felt rejected by their Members of Parliament (MPs), who they said were only seeking their personal gains, but he sharply denied that assertion.
“Some of the electorate 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.”
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He stated that seven candidates who went unopposed retained their seats except three.
They include the MP for Ekumfi and Deputy Fisheries Minister, Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, Alexander Kodwo Kom who vied for the Gomoa West seat, and Dr Samuel Joe Acquah for KEEA.
Those who won were Efutu MP, Alexander Afenyo Markin; Special Development Initiative Minister, Awutu Senya East, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson; Assin Central, Ken Agyapong, and Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.
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 and Hemang-Lower/Denkyira constituencies.
The NDC on the other hand won Cape Coast South and North, Ekumfi, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem.
The rest are Upper Denkyira West, Awutu Senya East, Agona East, Gomoa East, and West, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Assin North and Twifo Atti Morkwa constituencies.
The Central Region, considered as a swing region, keep pulling surprises during general election.