132 aspirants contest for 48 seats in Dormaa District Assembly elections

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Aug. 9, GNA - Twenty-two out of 132 contestants vying for seats in the 48 electoral positions in the Dormaa District of Brong Ahafo in the forth-coming district assembly polls are women.

The figure represents a 120 per cent increase over the 10 women, who participated in the last district level elections in the district. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the close of nominations at Dormaa-Ahenkro, the District Electoral Officer, Mr Kwadwo Amankwaah attributed the increase in the female figures to the ongoing nation wide campaign to encourage women's participation in decision-making, coupled with women's zest to make their voices heard on the political arena. Mr Amankwaah indicated that the contestants were of varied ages, qualifications and occupations.

He said the oldest among the contestants, 72 year-old Kwabena Akesi-Mensah, aspiring to take the Dormaa-Ahenkro Ahenboboano seat, while the youngest is Gabriel Gyabaah, 22, an aspirant in Kyeremasu Ahenboboano Electoral Area.

Mr Amankwaah said the 132 contestants comprised 48 teachers, 22 farmers and seven traders, while the remaining 55 belonged to other occupations.

He said 19 out of the number are professional teachers, 31 had the General Certificate of Education Ordinary and Advance Level Certificates, while the remaining 82 possess the Middle School Leaving Certificate. He indicated that the Dormaa Central Electoral Area recorded the highest number of seven contestants with none of the 132 aspirants going un-opposed. Mr Amankwaah expressed the hope that the voting day would witness an equal zeal with which the nominations were filed.