On May 13, 2023, the competition for parliamentary nominations within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to be resolved ahead of the upcoming 2024 general election, provided there are no unforeseen circumstances. This event is of significant interest to political observers, particularly with Ghana’s commitment to the United Nations’ Affirmative Action objective. The performance of women participating in the parliamentary contest is a subject of great concern for many observers. In this article, we feature six female candidates running for the NDC parliamentary nominations.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, a second-term Member of Parliament, represents the Korle Klottey Constituency in Ghana. She is the daughter of the late Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, who was a former president of Ghana and the founder of the NDC political party. However, in the upcoming election, she faces tough competition from her contender, Meredith Naakai Lamptey-Addy.
Meredith Naakai Lamptey-Addy
Meredith aims to follow in the footsteps of her father, David Lamptey, who was a prominent member of the NDC party and served as the member of parliament for Korle Klottey between 1996 and 2000.
Having worked as her father’s personal assistant during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Sidalco group of companies, Dominion Oil, Radio and TV XYX, Meredith has gained valuable experience and is now ready to contest the Korle Klottey NDC ticket against Dr. Zanetor.
Meredith currently holds the position of Managing Director in three companies, namely Patmeco Ghana Limited, Game Idol printing and advertising, and Worldwide Alliance Investment Limited, which is a real estate company co-owned by her and her husband.
Betty Krosbi Mensah
Betty Krosbi Mensah, who is currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Afram Plains North, has political roots that run deep in her family. Her father, Krosbi Mensah, was the first MP of the constituency. Betty, who won her first election as an MP in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020, is now seeking a third term.
Prior to her political career, Mensah held various professional roles. She served as the managing director of Best Pat Ghana Limited between 2013 and 2016, and also worked as the Second Deputy Coordinator for the National Youth Employment from 2009 to 2013. Additionally, she worked as the Gender and Development Coordinator of Ghana Cooperative Credit Union from 2003 to 2005. Currently, in the 8th Parliament, Mensah is a member of the Gender and Children Committee as well as the Health Committee.
In the upcoming election, Mensah faces a single challenger – Kperli Worlasi, a private legal practitioner who also contested against her in the 2018 primaries.
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, a human rights activist and lawyer who previously served as Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, is vying for the parliamentary seat in the Adentan Constituency, which is widely considered as one of the most fiercely contested constituencies in the country.
Among her opponents in the race are the current Member of Parliament, Adamu Ramadan, as well as another female candidate named Linda Awuni.
Dorcas Affo-Toffey
Dorcas Affo-Toffey, the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro Constituency, is seeking re-election for a second term after winning her first term in the 2020 parliamentary election. However, her first term was marked by a tumultuous legal battle that lasted for about three years, challenging her eligibility to represent the people of Jomoro.
Despite the accusations against her, Affo-Toffey emerged victorious in the legal tussle, with the court declaring her the winner and dismissing claims that she was not a Ghanaian citizen at the time of filing her nomination in 2020. Now, she is focused on securing a second term as MP for Jomoro, but faces competition from her opponent, Akatia Kwaido.
Prof Nana Ama Browne Klutse
In 2018, Prof Nana Ama Browne Klutse competed against Felix Kwakye-Ofosu for the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese NDC ticket in preparation for the 2020 general election. Now, in 2023, the two are once again vying for the same ticket, after Kwakye-Ofosu lost to Klutse in the previous race.
Klutse, who hails from Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of Ghana. She holds the position of associate professor of physics and currently serves as a member of the Task Group on Data Support for Climate Change Assessments (TG-Data). Klutse previously held roles as the Remote Sensing Manager at the GIS and Climate Centre, as well as a senior research scientist at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.
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