The list of New Patriotic Party sitting MP’s who will not return to Parliament next year just grew by another casualty on Monday. Ex-Eastern Regional Minister and MP for New Juaben South, Hon. Yaw Barimah, lost his bid to one Madam Bernice Boateng (Ms BB), after the two shared the votes at 37 and 54 respectively. Augustus Amponsem Boateng had nothing at all. Constituents claimed Yaw Barimah after two terms in Parliament, has had enough and should retire for a ‘fresh blood.’ In the Eastern Region alone, four other sitting MPs will not be returning to the House to represent their constituents. At the Lower West Akim constituency, Hon. James Appiatu Ankrah lost to Ms Gifty Cleland, while at the Abuakwa North constituency, MP J.B. Danquah did not survive, beaten by a United States-based university lecturer, Prof Samuel Kwadwo Amoako, who had 35 votes. JB managed 31 votes. In the Ashanti Region, equal surprises were recorded when Mrs Josephine Hilda Adusa Addo, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso fell out with Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, an economist, polling 42 votes to become the constituency's NPP candidate for the December election. The MP polled 30, while Mr. Alex Adusei trailed behind, polling 10 votes. Dr. Akoto 58, currently the Chairman of the Manifestoes Committee of the National Campaign Committee of the NPP, said the Kwadaso constituency needed a strong voice in Parliament, to champion the developmental agenda of the area. A medical practitioner, Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, has also been elected as parliamentary candidate in the Manhyia constituency after polling 88 of the 131 ballots cast to beat Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, who polled 43 votes. The incumbent, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, did not contest. MP for Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, Kofi Adusei Poku survived a major scare as he beat his challenger, Joe Osei-Owusu, Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority by a vote. Hon Adusei Poku, deputy Minister of Fisheries, had 70 votes while Mr. Osei-Owusu polled 69 votes at the primary held at Kokofu. Also in the Obuasi constituency of the Ashanti Region, the incumbent MP, Edward Ennin won by a single vote, polling 65 votes while his only opponent, Kwaku Kwarteng, Government Spokesperson on Finance received 64 votes. At the Jaman South constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mahama Afful was elected the parliamentary candidate, beating the incumbent Anna Nyamekye by 63 votes as to 39. Still in the Brong Ahafo Region, Captain Nkrabea Effa-Darteh (rtd) lost out to a new entrant, Kweku Agyekum Boateng who polled 88 votes to take the Berekum constituency slot. Nkrabeah only managed five votes. In the Sunyani East constituency, Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Hon. Obiri Boahen failed his bid as he polled only five votes as against 61 polled by Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, General-Secretary of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG). Twumasi Awuah, the Municipal Chief Executive polled 39, Prof Obeng Ofori got 18 in the same constituency, Dr. Kwame Twumasi Nuamah, 3, Francis Manu Gyan, 1 and Dr. Kweku Adoma, 1. The incumbent, Hon J.H. Mensah, did not contest. In the Greater Accra Region, Victor Okuley Nortey, MP for Ablekuma Central and Samuel Nii Aryeetey Attoh, MP for Trobu Amasaman both got the boot as new entrants beat them to their seats. Andrew Kingsford Mensah, MP for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankesein in the Central Region will also not return after losing his bid. Author: Isaac Yeboah