Ms Eyiah (left) and Ama Sey (right) wait to file the nomination
Naana Eyiah Quansah, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has called on delegates of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to vote for more women in the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.
She contends that this is a golden opportunity for the party to affirm its strong belief in affirmative action, adding that with the President’s strong conviction in women, the party’s delegates must emulate his actions.
Naana Eyiah was speaking exclusively to the Daily Statesman at Akwatia, on Tuesday, when she accompanied the MP for the constituency, Mercy Adu Gyamfi, to file her nomination.
Ms Eyiah, who is also the MP for Gomoa Central, urged all the female MPs to support Ama Sey, as the Akwatia MP is affectionately called, for her second term bid.
“In the House of 275 members, there are only 33 females. The disparity is too huge and we must therefore protect our women. Ama Sey is doing so well in the House and she is doing very well here, too. She is a grassroots person and understands the local politics. I plead with the delegates to maintain her,” she told the Daily Statesman.
“This is a woman who defied all odds, ignoring the grit of politics, to attempt to pick the seat for the benefit of the NPP. She beat a whole lawyer and an NDC big wig, Baba Jamal. She is an inspiration to the less-privileged and she should be urged to go for more,” Ms Eyiah added.
2016 victory
Ama Sey stepped in as the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the Akwatia constituency at a time when the party was looking for the best candidate to oust then vibrant NDC MP Baba Ahmed Jamal.
She polled 21,433 votes, representing 57.21 per cent, to win the seat from the NDC’s Baba Jamal, who polled 15,905 votes, representing 42.45 per cent. A hairdresser with virtually no formal education, her educational background became topical in the campaign. Several smear campaign were waged against her, including verbal attacks on her personality by the Eastern Regional branch of the NDC.
A former NDC regional chairman, Bismark Tawiah Boateng, went to the extent of questioning her ability to cook for the family.
Contest
Ama Sey is currently being contested by three men. They are 35-year-old lawyer, Bernard Owiredu Donkor, Ernest Kumi and Robert Boateng Ampratwum. According to the party’s chairman of Council of Elders, who doubles as the chairman for the elections committee in the constituency, there will be fairness in the contest.
Due to the tension that often characterises elections in the area, the chairman has requested all the candidates to submit their campaign itinerary to the elections committee so that they can be regulated.
Meanwhile, Ama Sey herself is optimistic of a resounding victory in the primaries. She has called for peaceful campaign and assured her supporters of victory.
