Asante-Akim South Constituency Election Battle Intensifies as Maame Sarfoah Strives to Overcome Deficit.

Asante-Akim South: As the highly anticipated 2024 general elections enter the homestretch, one key battle in the parliamentary race is the Asante-Akim South Constituency in the Ashanti Region. Over 76,000 registered voters in the constituency are set to cast their votes across 168 polling stations to elect their next Member of Parliament (MP).According to Ghana News Agency, the seat has been held by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) since 1996 and is considered a stronghold for the party, which is determined to maintain its position. However, the entry of Maame Sarfoah Appiah in the 2020 race for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) significantly narrowed the gap between the NPP and NDC candidates by over 4,000 votes.In the 2016 election, the incumbent MP, Mr. Kwaku Asante Boateng, secured 32,256 votes, defeating Mr. Degraft Fokuo of the NDC, who garnered 16,133 votes, trailing by 16,123 votes. Maame Sarfoah, however, reduced the deficit from 16,123 in 2016 to 11,584 after polling 21,639 votes in 202 0, compared to Mr. Asante Boateng's 33,223 votes.Interestingly, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo received over 2,000 more votes in 2020 than his parliamentary candidate, suggesting that several voters opted for a 'skirt and blouse' voting pattern in favor of Maame Sarfoah. This has led a section of NDC supporters in the constituency to believe that their candidate's popularity is increasing, and with a little push, they could potentially flip the results in their favor with just a week left until the election.The NDC supporters are working diligently to capture the seat from the NPP for the first time in 28 years, banking on what they perceive as the incumbent's waning popularity. Conversely, the NPP is making concerted efforts to retain the seat and even expand their margin, intensifying their campaign efforts throughout the constituency.Despite being seen as the favorite to win the contest, the NPP is wary of complacency and is ensuring their message reaches every corner of the constituency. This marks the second time the two contestants are facing each other for the seat, and both camps are optimistic about their chances in the December 7 election.As both parties traverse the constituency in the final days leading up to the election, the pressing question remains: Can Maame Sarfoah surprise Mr. Asante Boateng, who has been a dominant force in the constituency since taking over the seat in 2012? With high stakes, election observers believe the NPP is likely to retain the seat, but the margin of victory remains uncertain.