By Mohammed Balu,
Tumu,(UWR), Dec. 29, GNA – Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, the Member of Parliament for the Sissala East Constituency is facing a stiff contest from Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, a lecturer at the Political Science Department of University of Ghana.
The filing of nomination of Dr Zaato means Mr Chinnua who emphasized that he was the only person to retain the seat for the NPP would now have aa contender.
The Member of Parliament, Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, before presenting his form at the party office said he was the right person to lead the constituency and called on the delegates to rally behind him.
Mr Chinnia touted his achievements saying, “The Tumu Town Water project, which was ongoing and other developmental projects including school infrastructure, the internal roads in the Tumu township, and the communities were among the many things I had done in the constituency and for that matter, the delegates should allow me to lead them once again to the 2024 general election”.
Dr Zaato who also picked a form to contest the primary called for unity in the party ahead of the internal primaries.
Dr Zaato said, “The people need a fresh face, and I am the right person. Vote for me and you will never regret it. I am a unifier so help me to unite the party by voting for me to break the 8”.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Dr Zaato stressed the need for team work to ensure massive victory for both the Parliamentary and Presidential elections.
He said the current MP had done his part, which the constituents were grateful for but assured that he would perform better if given the nod.
According to him, he would operate an open-door administration and all-inclusive governance, which the involvement of the youth and women were needed.
Dr Zaato joins the contest with excellent academic record.
He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2003 and then got both MA and PhD in Public Administration from Brock University and the University of Ottawa, respectively.
He began his academic career as a Lecturer at the School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, from 2010 to 2016.
In January 2017, he accepted a position as an Assistant Professor at the College of Humanities, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (UAE)
His main research interests are in the fields of Research Methods, Good Governance, Public Policy Analysis, Management Reforms, and State-Owned Enterprises.
He is also an expert in Public Private Partnerships and a World Bank consultant on governance.
Dr. Zaato has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals on topics ranging from policy analysis, public-private partnership, privatization, and administrative reforms in Ghana. His current research focuses on policy failure and learning.
Mr Tayiru Suara, the Chairperson of the party in the Sissala East appealed to both Aspirants to do a clean campaign because at the end of the day, it was one party.
Mr Ridwan Abass Dauda, a former Member of Parliament for the area who contested the internal primary in 2020 and lost to the incumbent MP called for clean campaign ahead of the primary.
The party opened nomination for the constituency with sitting members of Parliament on the 20th of December and closed on the 26th, of December 2023, with voting expected to be done on the 27th of January 2024.
GNA