The former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Joe Mensah, has declared his intention to re-contest the seat, as an independent candidate.

He went to Parliament in 2016 on the ticket of the NPP but was unseated by Dr Prince Hamid Armah, also from the same Party in the 2020 elections.

Mr Mensah said his coming back as an independent candidate was to restore the Kwesimintsim Constituency to a higher pedestal hinged on social and economic advancement. 

He explained that he took the decision after consultations with key stakeholders and some personalities, reiterating, “and so, there’s no turning back and my decision is bigger than any financial inducement.”

The Parliamentary Seat Hopeful told the Chief of Apremdo, Nana Egya Kwamina XI at his palace, after he filed his nomination at the Electoral Commission, on Monday.

Mr Mensah told the Chief that as a son of Apremdo and Ahantaland, he believed that he needed to re -contest the seat and ensure the area was revived noting that, the people had suffered for too long.

"My father hailed from Apremdo, and as a son of the land, I deemed it proper to visit Nana Kwamina XI and elders to ask for their prayers and blessings".

The former MP added that, it had been with great courage to re-contest the Kwesimintsim seat and was proud to receive wise counsels from Nana Kwamina XI, a great chief with rich experience in chieftaincy, governance, and jurisprudence.

He added, “the time is now for us to take a new journey of renewal and hope...our communities are lagging, and we need development, education and jobs.”

The Parliamentary Aspirant pledged to rely on the good counsels of Nana Kwamina XI in charting a new path for Apremdo and other Ahanta communities.

Nana Egya Kwamina XI, the Chief of Apremdo, applauded Mr Mensah, for his bold decision and courage to re-contest the Kwesimintsim seat and prayed for God’s blessings in his new political journey.

The Chief mentioned many development projects the constituency witnessed under his tenure adding that, if he had gone for more years, the area would have witnessed greater impact in road infrastructure.

Mr Mensah was the former Director of Operations and Human Resources Manager at the Takoradi Port.