Two women go to Parliament from W/R

The Western Region elected two women out of the eight, who contested the parliamentary election in the 26 constituencies in the Western Region last week, as their representatives in Parliament.

Out of a total of 108 candidates from the 26 constituencies, only eight were females. However, after the poll only two of them, namely Ms Catherine Abelema Afeku, who recaptured the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a new entrant, Ms Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, also of the NPP, won in the Prestea/Huni-Valley Constituency.

The other six women who contested but lost were Ms Samia Yaba Christina Nkrumah, who stood on the ticket of the Convention People's Party (CPP) for the Jomoro Constituency, Ms Jemima Soboe of the People's National Convention (PNC) also in Jomoro, Madam Vivian Ofosuhene for Amenfi East, on the ticket of the CPP, Ms Benedicta Boamah of the Progressive People's Party (PPP) in the Bibiani-Anwiaso- Bekwai Constituency, Ms Martha Kwayie Manu (NPP), Juaboso Constituency and Ms Ernestina Oppong of the CPP also in the same constituency.

Situation in 2012

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Micheal Opoku-Mensah, said during the 2012 general election, a total of 12 women out of the 110 candidates contested the parliamentary election in the 26 constituencies in the region.

He said out of this, only one candidate, in the person of Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, was able to make it to the House on the ticket of the NPP in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency. She garnered 37,816 votes, representing 51.86 per cent of the total votes cast, to beat her main contender, Ms Christina Kobina of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who also secured 33,135 votes, which represented 45.44 per cent.

 Mrs Kusi, however, opted out this year to a male NPP colleague, Mr George Mireku Mercer.