Navrongo Central Constituency, a rematch between Mark Woyongo and Joseph Kofi Adda

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga But for the timely clearance of the Progressive People’s Party, (PPP) candidate for the Navrongo Central parliamentary candidate, Mr. Crispin Avanakwa Awupuri by the Returning Officer of the Electoral Commission, it will have been a straight ‘fight’ for the seat between NDCs Mark Woyongo and NPPs Joseph Kofi Adda. At the close of filing of nominations on Thursday, 18 October 2012, only the three persons above were cleared to contest the 2012 parliamentary elections. A gentleman who appeared on the nick of time appeared at the offices of the EC attempting to file on the ticket of the PNC but the Returning Officer detected a flaw and hence rejected the documents. Under the current circumstances, on can describe the polls as a rematch between NDCs Mark Woyongo and NPPs Joseph Kofi Adda and it will not be far from wrong, albeit the presence of the PP candidate. In the last parliamentary elections, Messrs Woyongo and Adda together with PNCs Gabriel Pwamang and CPPs, Fotunate Anuga were entangled in the race for the seat. At the end of that contest, Mr. Kofi Adda polled 14, 354 representing 45.23 percent of votes cast as against, Mr. Woyongo’s 13, 224 represent 41. 67 per cent. The two gentlemen are in the race again and what makes it interesting is that the PNC which is not presenting a candidate for this year’s race is reported to have thrown its weight behind Mr. Mark Woyongo. In 2008, the PNC candidate, Mr. Gabriel Pwamang polled 4,026 votes. Assuming all these votes goes to add to that of what Mr. Woyongo obtained in 2008, it will add up to 18, 380. With this one can safely call it for Mr. Woyongo, who doubles as the current Regional Minister. But politics like a game of football is not east to predict. The NPP since the year 2000 have had a grip on the Navrongo constituency. In the 2000 elections, the late John Setuni Achuliwor contested on the NPP’s ticket and defeated the NDCs Clement T. Bugase by 143 votes. Achuliwor polled 11,246 while Bugase had 11,103 votes. The rest was shared between five other candidates who contested in that race. Following the death of John Setuni Achuliwor in 2003, Mr. Adda a MP. He won the by-election for the Navrongo Central constituency. In the 2004 elections, Adda retained his seat after he defeated NDCs Emmanuel Andema, the current Municipal Chief Executive for the Kassena-Nankana East. In that polls, Adda polled 12, 444 votes while Mr. Andema came a distant third with 6,201. Mr. Adda comes into this year’s race with a lot of experience likewise his contender who has also in the past three-and-half years have done so much for the region as a whole and the Kassena-Nankana East District. Mr. Adda after the he was elected was appointed the Minister for Manpower Development and Employment by President John Kufuor in 2005. On 28 April 2006, he was moved in a cabinet reshuffle to the position of Minister for Energy, a position held until the NPP was deposed in the 2008 elections. As a seating MP, Daily Graphic has learnt that he is constantly in touch with his constituents and he is reported to be a mingler who wouldn’t mind engaging the people in informal conversation anytime he visits. Mr. Woyongo is taking a second shot at the seat. His first attempt was in 2008 when right after retiring from public service grabbed the chance to contest. Observers believe he fared well and having had the opportunity as Regional Minister, his chances are far brighter than his previous attempt. The experience communicator that he is, the Upper East Regional Minister is bent on winning the seat for the N.D.C. As a regional minister, election watchers believe lobbying skills that has seen the Kassena-Nankana East District benefit from a number developmental projects in the constituency be it educational infrastructure, health facilities, access to water and electricity but as to whether that will sway votes into his favor is something that we all await to see. Mr. Woyongo trained as a journalist and for a long time worked as the Upper East Regional Information Officer. He also worked as a press attaché in UK. He returned to Ghana, worked with the Information Services Department rising through the ranks until he retired as a Director in charge of Finance and Administration. He is the 25th regional minister to serve in the Upper East region in that capacity since the creation of the region on July 1, 1960. In 2008 when he was appointed in 2008, I asked him what he brings to the table as a Regional Minister. His response was that “My vision is to ensure that there is peace, unity and development. Without peace and unity there cannot be any meaningful development,” He came in at a time when the Bawku crisis was at it peak. Thankfully the situation in Bawku in particular and the region in general is better than it was before. As a Regional Minister, he enjoys so much commendation for lobbying development projects to the region but as to whether his achievements as Regional Minister will reflect in votes at the ballot in his constituncy is something we all wait to see. Mr. Adda on the other hand is a Financial Economist and a Management Consultant. He worked as an Executive officer at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana in 1979. Between 1983 and 1984, he worked as a Research Analyst intern at the Third World Trade Institute, New York, USA. He was also an account Executive and Management trainee at the Equitable Financial Service, Inc., in New Jersey, USA. Mr. Adda has also worked at Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, USA (1986 – 1988), Thomson McKinnon Securities Inc., New York (1989 – 1991) and with Deloitte and Touche Consulting, (West Africa), Accra (1991 – 1994). Since 1994, Joseph Adda has been the Director of Omni Consulting International (Ghana) Ltd. Between 1996 and 2000, he worked in various capacities at the Ministry of Finance, Ghana. Incidentally both front runners in the Navrongo Central Constituency are former students of the Notre Dame Minor Seminary School High School.The question is can Woyongo end the dorminance of NPP in the Navrongo central constituncy? The answer will be known after December 7, 2012. benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh