More women go to parliament- After 2012 elections in Ghana

Story: Salome Donkor & Rebecca Quaicoe-Duho

SOME female sitting MPs have retained their seats, while others have suffered defeats in the parliamentary elections, with some new female MPs elected.
Ghana's 230 seat parliament had only 19 women but after the 2012 general elections, the House which currently has 275 constituency seats has 29 female MPs.
Key among those who have lost their seats are the New Patriotic (NPP) Member of Parliament for Evalue-Gwira, Mrs Cathrine Afeku Abelema, who lost the seat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Mr Kweku Tamekyi Kessie, who polled 14,096 votes to win the seat. Mrs Afeku had 11,651 votes.
The lone Convention People’s Party (CPP) Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Samia Yaba Nkrumah, lost her seat when Wing Commander Francis Anaman, a retired Officer of the Ghana Airforce, fought to re-capture the seat for the National Democratic Party. He polled 21,651 votes as against 18,110 by the incumbent MP, Madam Samiah Yaaba Nkrumah.

Samia Yaaba Nkrumah-OUT

 The Jomoro seat has been occupied by the National Democratic Party (NDC) since 1992 until Madam Yaaba Nkrumah captured it from the party after beating the NDC candidate, Mr Lee Ocran in 2008.
The people of Jomoro massively voted for Madam Yaaba Nkrumah in 2008. 
Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo of the NPP retained her seat in the Tema West  Constituency, with 39,950 as against 39,005 votes obtained by the NDC candidate, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. Madam Elizabeth K. Tawiah Sackey polled 27,176 votes to retain the Okaikwei North seat by beating the NDC candidate Mr  Abdul Nasiru Abass, who polled 25,255 votes. 
Ms Hannah Tetteh also won the Awutu Senya West seat for the NDC by polling 23,032 as against her closest contender Mr Oppey Abbey of the NPP who polled 18,487. Ms Tetteh was the MP in 2004 but did not contest in 2008.
Ms Gifty Klenam of the NPP also retained her seat in the Lower West Akim constituency by polling 26,663 to beat her closest rival of the NDC who also polled 18,225.
Ms Esther Obeng Dapaah is also going back to parliament on the ticket of the NPP for the Abirem Constituency as she polled 17,347 votes as against her other female contender, Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong of the NDC who polled 14,515.
The Oforikrom seat was retained by the incumbent, Ms Elizabeth Agyeman, on the ticket of the NPP with 68,812 votes to beat Mr Amidu Gariba of the NDC who polled 29,393.
Ms Gifty Eugenia Kusi, a first Deputy Minority Whip, retained the Tarkwa Nsuaem seat for a third term with 37,816 votes in a close contest against another female contender from the NDC, Ms Christina Kobina, who pulled 33,130 votes.
The Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah of the NDC was also reelected as the MP for Agotime Ziope as she polled 14,485 votes to beat the NPP candidate Mr David Yaoga Sunu who had 1,935 votes.

Juliana Azumah-Mensah- RETAINED

Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchway won the newly created Anyaa Sowutuom seat with 51,196 votes while the NDC’s Ms Sedina Tamakloe-Ationu had 29,536.
Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo, one of the long-serving females retained the NDC Savelugu seat by stretching her NPP contender when she polled 18,946 votes against 1,503 of the NPP’s Muhammed Abdul-Samed Gunu.
New entrants include Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw, Deputy Minister for Water Resources Works and Housing,  who won the Tano South Constituency by polling 19,236 to snatch the seat from the incumbent Andrews Adjei Yeboah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who had17,856 votes.
Ms Freda Prempeh of the NPP also won the Tano North constituency, she polled 18,529 as against her closet contender Mr Apraku Lartey of the NDC who polled 14,789.
Madam Ama Pomaa Andoh, Juaben Constituency, also won the seat for the NPP with 22,323 votes by beating Ms Vida Addai of the NDC, who polled 7,064 votes.
Dr Mrs Bernice Heloo, polled 40,486 to win the Hohoe seat.
Former Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ms Patricia Appiagyei won the Asokwa seat for the NPP when she won 64,904 votes against Mr Charles Kojo Obeng of the NDC who polled 12,647 votes.
Gender Activist Ms Ursula Owusu of the NPP polled 36,975 to beat NDC’s Ms Victoria Hammah of the NDC who had 26,153 votes in the Ablekuma West Constituency.
Former Deputy Minister for Health in the NPP government could not recapture her seat after she lost it in 2008, as the NDC’s Ms Benita Sena Okity-Duah, a former Miss Ghana, won with 52,554 votes with Dr Ashitey polling 42,038 votes.
The Atiwa East seat was won by Ms Abena Osei Asare of the NPP with 16,409 votes as against Mr Asante Foster of the NDC who had 6,480 votes.
Ms Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr won the Agona East seat for NDC by polling 22,654 as against the NPP’s John Agyabeng who polled 18,002.
The Gomoa Central seat was also won by a new entrant, Ms Rachel Florence Appoh of the NDC who polled 15,719 votes as against the NPP’s Dr Edward Nana Ketu Cudjoe who had 11,385.
The Krachi West also has a new NDC MP, Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, who won the seat with 14,049 votes as against the NPP’s  Douglas Osei-Nti who had 8,769 votes.
Ms Adwoa Safo won the Dome/Kwabenya seat for NPP by polling 63,373 as against her female counterpart, Ms Sophia Karen Ackuaku of the NDC who polled 35,366 votes.
Ms Georgina Nkrumah Aboah won the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa seat for the NDC by polling 23,705 votes against the NPP candidate who polled only 2,187.
Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba won the Pusiga seat for the NDC by polling 15,174 votes against the NPP’s Mohammed Imoro Asoko who had 7,749 votes.

Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba-NEW