There are six women among the 31 aspiring parliamentary candidates to contest the parliamentary primary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the nine constituencies of the Oti Region (on Saturday.)
The six women are Madam Helen Adwoa Ntoso, incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Krachi West, Madam Magdalene Ndemele and Madam Esther Asetena Mensah all in the Krachi West Constituency.
The others are Jean Marie Formadi and Madam Alberta Atakora in the Biakoye Constituency and Madam Rita Ama Narlyn Wurapa for the Guan Constituency.
Mr Joseph Asekere, the Regional Election Director, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said all was set for the primaries to be held on Saturday.
He called on the candidates to conduct a clean campaign that would unite the party for victory in 2024.
The NDC had an ambition of winning the 2024 election but before it pulled the breaks on the New Patriotic Party’s eight-year reign, it needed to do extra work, Mr Asekere said.
He explained that paving the way for more women in the civic arena was an investment for a just, equitable and peaceful society, he said.
Women had a right to engage in civil society, vote in elections, be elected to government offices, serve on boards and make their voices heard.
‘The right to political participation is a necessary step to achieving global gender equality and democratic governance,’ he said.
The Regional Director of Elections said about 8,977 delegates are expected from 961 polling stations to vote in the party’s parliamentary and presidential primaries, which would be held on May 13, 2023.
The delegates comprise nine executives each from all the 961 polling stations and constituency and regional executives in the nine constituencies in the region.
The delegates will converge at a particular centre in each of the constituency to cast their ballots and elect a preferred parliamentary candidate as well as a flagbearer to lead the party in the 2024 general election.
He told GNA that all the aspirants were being engaged in the election process and was hopeful that they would have transparency and smooth elections.
He urged media practitioners to secure their accreditation from the various district directors of election before the event at the weekend.
Source: Ghana News Agency