Obiri Boahen to contest elections

Page 30, Jan 14, 2008

Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Minister of State at the Ministry of Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen has resolved to contest for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary slot of the Sunyani East Constituency for the 2008 election.
"I promise my numerous supporters that now is the time for me to become the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency and no amount of words and cajoling can push me away from achieving my aim", he told the Daily Graphic in an interview in Accra on Wednesday.
Nana Obiri Boahen, who is also the current Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the NPP, has nursed the ambition of becoming the MP for the Sunyani East Constituency since the country returned to constitutional rule in 1992.
In 1992, although he made an attempt to stand on the NPP ticket for the parliamentary election, which was later boycotted by the party, he was prevailed upon to give one Mr Kyereh a chance to contest.
In 1996, the party chose Mr J.H Mensah as the constituency's parliamentary candidate but when it was realised that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was bent on putting the candidate before court over his eligibility, Nana Obiri Boahen filed as an independent candidate.
When the court case was ruled in favour of Mr Mensah, although Nana Obiri Boahen's name had already been printed on the ballot paper, he campaigned for the former.
In 2000, Nana Obiri Boahen's ambition was again short lived since party stalwarts felt that Mr Mensah still had a lot to offer in Parliament.
In 2004, Nana Obiri Boahen together with others, particularly Mr Ameyaw Cheremeh, the then Presiding member of the Sunyani District Assembly felt enough was enough and that the youth should be given a chance.
"Although, I paid GH ¢1,100 (¢11 million) filing fee, I was later on prevailed upon to back down my ambition to the annoyance of my admirers and supporters", he said.
"I feel this is my time since I have matured politically over the years to contest the parliamentary election, come December, this year".
Nana Obiri Boahen added that the NPP hierarchy would have no "moral justification" to prevail upon him to step down this town round since that would not be in the interest of his political career.
He contended that Mr Mensah, who was the architect of the Kwame Nkrumah's seven year development plan, had done enough for the country since independence and had to give way for other to continue from where he would end.
Nana Obiri Boahen welcomed other members of the party who had already shown interest in the seat saying that "this is the beauty of democracy that the party stands for".