The Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Henry Seidu Danaa, has joined the long list of people seeking to enter Parliament on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He picked up nomination forms to contest in the upcoming parliamentary primaries in the Wa East Constituency in the Upper West Region.
Dr. Danaa, who became the first ever visually impaired person appointed as a Minister of State in 2013, would come against the incumbent MP, Aminu Salifu.
[contextly_sidebar id=”8LLwSqWkvzahp1owzclHa9qMDkViHhZd”]Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Danaa explained that his concern for the people of his constituency is the reason for his decision to contest.
“There are two things underpinning my decision to contest; the first thing is that I am a native of Wa so naturally I care about what happens there. I think that being a minister of state there is something I can contribute to the constituency in Parliament. Secondly, I have been a pioneer all my life. As a nation we should go forward and not backwards; and all those people who had those misgivings about my ability have been proven wrong” he noted.
Several public servants serving in various capacities in the incumbent NDC administration are seeking to enter parliament despite being gainfully employed in other sectors of the economy.
Some analysts say the desire by many to enter Parliament is essentially a strategy to ensure job security.
The NDC opened nominations for the forthcoming primaries on Thursday August 27.
The exercise ends on September 10, 2015, with voting expected to come off on November 7, 2015.
Prospective candidates who want to contest for the party’s parliamentary primary are to pay a filing fee of GHC10,000, while prospective female candidates and persons with disability will pay half of the total amount.
–
By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/ citifmonline.com/Ghana