Election 2024: New Candidates Vie for Influence in Volta Region’s Ho Central and Ketu North Constituencies.

Accra: As Ghana heads towards the 2024 general elections, anticipation is building in the Volta Region over who will succeed two longstanding Members of Parliament. Mr. Benjamin Komla Kpodo, the MP for Ho Central, and Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, the MP for Ketu North, have decided not to seek re-election after more than a decade of service. This decision sets the stage for new faces to enter the political arena, potentially altering the dynamics of parliamentary representation in the region.According to Ghana News Agency, the Volta Region, often referred to as the 'World Bank' of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), currently holds 17 out of its 18 constituencies. The sole exception is the Hohoe Constituency, where the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won the seat in 2020 with John Peter Amewu as the sitting MP. With Kpodo and Avedzi stepping down, their successors will face the challenge of maintaining the NDC's dominance or opening doors for increased competition.In Ho Central, Mr. Kpodo's decision not to run for a fourth term has led to a four-way race. The NDC candidate, Mr. Edem Kofi Kpotosu, a Human Resource Manager at the Ghana Education Service, is considered the frontrunner in a constituency with strong historical support for the NDC. He faces competition from Mr. Divine Richard Komla Bosson of the NPP, Mawulorm Kwame Klutse, an independent candidate, and Vide Nelson Kofi from the National Democratic Party (NDP). Despite the array of candidates, the race is primarily seen as a contest between Kpotosu and Bosson, with the latter banking on his developmental projects to sway voters.Historically, the NDC has dominated elections in Ho Central. In 2012, Mr. Kpodo secured 88.51% of the votes, although this figure slightly decreased to 85.03% in 2020. Mr. Kpotosu is optimistic about achieving 90% of the votes, while Mr. Bosson is campaigning vigorously to convince voters of the need for change based on his developmental achievements.In Ketu North, the NDC and NPP are introducing new candidates following Dr. Av edzi's retirement. Eric Edem Agbana, representing the NDC, and Enoch Kwabla Amegbletor of the NPP are both actively campaigning in the constituency. Agbana's campaign focuses on job creation for the youth and addressing water issues, while Amegbletor emphasizes infrastructure development, including road construction and extending the national grid.The political history of Ketu North shows strong NDC dominance, although the NPP has been gaining ground. In 2020, NPP candidate Mr. Kofi Dzamesi garnered 45.74% of the votes, a significant increase from previous elections. Building on this momentum, Amegbletor hopes to secure a historic NPP victory, while Agbana remains confident of retaining the seat for the NDC with a significant margin.As the December 7 elections draw closer, these constituencies highlight the evolving political landscape in the Volta Region. The outcomes in Ho Central and Ketu North will not only influence regional representation but could also signal broader changes in Ghana's electoral dy namics. Voters will ultimately decide the fate of these constituencies on December 7, 2024.