NPP Polls: Mireku Duker picks nomination forms to retain Tarkwa-Nsuaem seat

The incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency in the Western Region, Mr. George Mireku-Duker, has picked nomination forms at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) office at Tarkwa Market Circle to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections.

This is the second time Mr. Mireku-Duker has picked nomination forms from the office to announce publicly his intention to contest the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Mr. George Mireku-Duker became the MP for the area in 2016 after beating the longest-serving Member of Parliament in the history of this country, Mrs. Eugenia Kusi in NPP's parliamentary primaries in 2015.

Mr. Mireku-Duker had the highest votes in Western Region in 2016 parliamentary elections of 42,594 as against the NDC parliamentary candidate, Comedian Kwame Dzokoto who polled 24, 044 votes.

Since 2000, no political party has won the Tarkwa-Nsuaem parliamentary seat apart from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NDC had vowed to recapture the seat but Mr. Mireku-Duker had pledged to maintain it for the NPP come December 7.

NPP NEC announces date for Parliamentary primaries

The NPP has opened nomination forms for their sitting Members of Parliament and the party is expected to hold its parliamentary elections on Saturday, April 25, 2020.

The NPP has I69 sitting Members of Parliament out of the total 275 seats in Parliament.

The party has already elected more than 95 Parliamentary candidates who would be contesting on its ticket in orphan constituencies (areas the party does not have sitting MPs).

The same April 25, 2020 date would also be used to elect a flagbearer for the party for Election 2020.

The opening and submission of the nomination forms would close on February 20, 2020.

Some dedicated delegates and sympathizers of the party in the area contributed GHC22,000 to procure the nomination forms for the NPP free of charge.

The colourful day, which could be described as a rally, was characterized by a float or procession of over 1,000 delegates and well wishers from the Constituency who accompanied the MP through the principal streets of Tarkwa amidst brass band music and dance.

Mrs. Rachel Ampah, the polling station women's organiser of Akoon who picked the nomination forms and presented it later to the MP at his Constituency office, said they contributed money to pick the forms for the MP because of his good works he had done so far in the area.

She also disclosed that the MP was a selfless, committed and affable leader who had improved so lives in the Constituency.

She touted some of the achievements of the MP which encouraged them to contribute to buy the forms for him.

"... because of his good works he has done that is why we the polling station executives and electoral area coordinators contributed the money to pick nomination forms for him to continue representing us in parliament", she explained.

She said through the lobbying skills of the MP, today the good people of Tarkwa and its environs come take a train to Takoradi due to the repairing of the railway lines.

She also applauded the MP for constructing a football pitch at Akoon and Dompin and also reconstruction of Tarkwa Na Aboso park.

"Hon. Mireku-Duker has done a lot, because of Hon. Duker today trains can move from Tarkwa to Takoradi, today he is reconstructing Tarkwa Na Aboso park into international standard, he has constructed a football park at Akoon, he has also constructed a football park at Dompin", she revealed.

She continued, "he is building a new hospital there, Hon. Duker has also renovated the Tarkwa police station, he has supplied free hair dryers to hairdressers in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency, he has distributed free sewing machines to dressmakers, Hon. Duker has distributed dual desks to schools in Tarkwa-Nsuaem, he has shared tricycles (Aboboyaa) to the youth to be used as work and pay".

"Hon Duker has supported so many Muslims to embark on Hajj, he has given wheelchairs to some people living with disabilities in this Constituency".

The exciting women's organiser vowed to make sure Hon. George Mireku-Duker would run the upcoming NPP's parliamentary primaries unopposed in the Constituency, emphasized "In fact Hon. Duker has done a lot and we are supporting him go go unopposed so nobody should waste his or her money to pick forms".

Receiving the forms, Mr. George Mireku-Duker who is the President of Young Members of Parliament Forum, thanked God for the opportunity to serve the good people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency.

He also thanked the polling station executives and electoral area coordinators for reposing confidence in him by contributing to buy the forms for him.

"Let us thank God because it is God enstools Kings and God who enstools Kings will make NPP wins the December 7 polls again, he said.

Mr. Duker pledged to unite the rank and file of the party during and after the primaries to retain the parliamentary seat for the party.

NPP in Tarkwa-Nsuaem is not for sale

He, therefore, seized the charging atmosphere to caution the delegates against money which could influence their decision to vote for a new parliamentary candidate.

He disclosed that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was sponsoring a candidate to contest him so that they NDC would face a weak candidate to beat on December 7.

He emphasized that the NPP in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency was not for sale and advised the so called NDC preferred candidate who was trying to pick forms to contest him to use his or her money to do different things.

"The NDC is using money to influence some of our delegates so don't let us follow money and sell our party because NPP is not for sale, so whoever has gotten his or her galamsey money should go and use it for other things, use your money for developmental projects because we will never sell our party for NDC in Tarkwa-Nsuaem", he charged.

He concluded that "Please to all NPP members let us be careful with the NDC sponsoring aspirant because the NDC fear me, they know with Mireku Duker as NPP Parliamentary candidate in Tarkwa-Nsuaem, I will beat them again so anytime they go on radio the only person they insult is Mireku-Duker, always attacking Mireku-Duker on radio, they are doing this to have a weak candidate to beat on December 7 but they are lying, I am going to beat them again and this time around I am going open the gab widely".