Former MP joins Asante-Akim South NPP parliamentary race

Ofoase (Ash), Feb 16, GNA - Mr Alex Kwaku Korankye, a former Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim South, has announced his decision to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in the area. This brings to five the number of people who have declared to run for the seat on the party's ticket.

Incumbent MP, Mrs Gifty Ohene Konadu, Mr Charles Nana Yaw Osei, Mr Asante Boateng, ex-Constituency Chairman and Kwabena Sakyi, lecturer at the Kumasi Polytechnic, are the other aspirants. It would be Mr Korankye's third attempt at re-capturing the slot he lost to Mrs Ohene Konadu in 2004.

He represented the constituency in parliament from 1996 to 2004. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Ofoase after presenting musical instruments to the local Presbyterian Church, Mr Korankye said his two previous defeats would not deter him from contesting. He said he was confident he would secure the mandate of the delegates this time around.

Mr Korankye called for clean campaign from his other contestants, saying they should avoid personal attacks and acrimony, so as to maintain the unity and cohesion of the NPP. On the GHC 16,000 filing fee fixed by the party, Mr Korankye said much as he would have wished this was brought down he was convinced it would hel= p to strengthen the party's finances. He rejected claims that the figure would scare many aspirants from contesting.