Frederick Kumah, a corvinus University of Budapest trained economist in Public Policy and Management has called on delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Amenfi East constituency to field an experienced grassroots youth to unseat the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Nicholas Amankwah as MP for Amenfi East come 2024 parliamentary election.
Speaking to journalists in the constituency, Mr Kumah, who is also a youth activist with 15 years of experience in grassroots mobilization and a former MCE hopeful, said “To win the seat in 2024, the NPP needs a candidate who connects with the youth and can address their concerns especially when over 75% of the voter population are youth. We need someone who has useful experience in our local politics, someone who understands the changing political dynamics at local and national level, someone who is politically matured and can pull up the numbers.”
He said, “Politics is a numbers game therefore that person should be able to give the party the needed numbers to win and also have the energy and vision to inspire the youth.”
“Let us not underestimate the power of young people. We have the energy and creativity to drive change, and we must be given the opportunities to do so,” he added.
On the performance of the incumbent MP, he stated that, the NDC MP has failed to live up to the expectations of the people.
“Nicholas Amankwah has been a disaster to people of Amenfi East and has not done much to improve the lives of the people in the constituency. He has failed woefully as an MP to honour and account for his promises of advocating for life changing social policies, robust infrastructure development and job creation in a metaphysical way as he promised the good people of Amenfi East. The flimsy excuse thrown at us that his party didn’t form the next government is not just gross disrespect but an insult to the chiefs and good people of Amenfi East. This is simply an admission of failure and justifies a call for a change. It is time for change. But the NPP needs to present a candidate who is credible, trustworthy and can bring innovative ideas and energy to the table to effect this change,” he said.
He added that as a young and dynamic economist, he has the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to lead the constituency to greater heights. Also as a young grassroots politician, he has a large base and easily connects with the people and the party at the polling station level. He said he had a track record of advocating for youth development and economic empowerment in the area and would continue to do so if given the opportunity to serve.
“I have been working closely with people in the constituency, listening to their concerns, and coming up with innovative solutions to their problems. I believe I have what it takes to represent them well at the national level and at the right time I shall make that decision public,” he said.
Kumah urged the NPP leadership to prioritize youth inclusion and participation in politics, saying that young people have a lot to offer and should be given the opportunity to contribute to the development of the country.
“I am calling on the NPP delegates to give the youth a chance to lead. We have the energy, the passion, and the vision to take our country and constituency to the next level,” he said.
Kumah’s call comes at a time when the political landscape in Ghana is evolving, with a growing demand for more youth participation and representation in government. And also at a time there is hung parliament. The Amenfi East constituency is now a swing one where both parties have won the seat for the fourth time since 1996, but Kumah believes that with the people’s choice of a candidate and the right message, the NPP can win the seat for the fifth time in 2024.
The NPP lost the Amenfi East seat to a 38-year-old Nicholas Amankwah by some 7,000 vote margin against the NPP’s Edward Amo Acquah in the 2020 Parliamentary elections.
