“When the results were declared and I was told I had won with 321 votes, I didn’t believe it, it took me several minutes to come to terms with the fact that I had been elected to lead the constituency,” the young Level 300 Law Student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Francisca Oteng Mensah recounted as she shared her joy on her election as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Kwabre East.
She, however, debunked rumours that she bought her way into the contest by delegates with attractive financial incentives, allegedly engineered by her father.
She said though she received little support in terms of her transport, and banners from her father and other well-wishers, it was nothing more than that, emphasizing it was hard work and dedication that won the seat for her.
The 22 year old Law student brushed aside stiff competition from leading contenders, including the incumbent MP, Kofi Frimpong, to emerge winner in what has become one of the shocking outcomes in the history of the party’s constituency primaries.
Her victory has become issue of topical discussion in the constituency, as well as on social media platforms, with many expressing divergent views about what must have contributed to her outstanding performance.
There are also concerning her age and what is likely to happen to her academic career, as she is yet to complete her journey to join the learned profession.
Whilst others are attributing victory to financial influence, citing massive monetary support from her millionaire father, Dr. Kwaku Oteng, others also believe her youthful exuberance and elegance may have swept delegates off their feet.
But the youngest female aspirant has for the first time opened up on her incredible achievement, explaining in detail, events culminating in her achievement.
Just as political observers were surprised at the emphatic victory achieved last week Saturday, she was also equally surprised as to how she managed to scale through the hurdle, much more securing over 60% of the total votes during the primaries.
Young Francisca, in an exclusive interview with ANGEL FM, a station owned by her millionaire father and which she manages, enumerated several reasons, including her vision to become role model to the youth of the country, hard work and determination, as well as strategic campaigning as factors that resulted in her victory.
Role Model For The Youth & Women
Young Francisca says her victory will signal the beginning of youth empowerment in Ghana’s political discourse, stressing that she will sacrifice herself as a role model to encourage more youth to take the mantle of leadership in the country.
She further indicated that she represents the aspiration of women participation in Ghanaian politics, pointing out that she hopes to serve as a catalyst upon which women involvement in leadership can be enhanced.
“There is no denying the fact that the participation of the youth and women in the country’s politics was necessary to ensure growth and progress of Ghana; women particularly have the potential to make meaningful contributions in the areas of education, health and trade, because they are directly affected. I intend to participate fully in those areas and make the necessary impacts,” she pledged.
Mystery Behind Her Age
The aspirant also shed lights on reasons behind the controversies surrounding her true age, explaining that people are giving conflicting numbers because she deliberately refused to make it public.
“During my campaign and interviews I granted to journalists, I declined to give my true age and pegged it between 21 and 25, which is what has resulted in the confusion, but my true age is 22,” she disclosed.
Francisca, however, parried the assertion that she was not politically ripe for the position of an MP, contending that she is more than qualified since individuals younger than her age had also been elected as Members of Parliament.
She cited for instance some candidates in the United Kingdom, Uganda and other places, where even younger candidates have been elected to Parliament.
“For me, age is about numbers, it doesn’t matter how young or old you are, so long as the Constitution says you must be above 21, I don’t think it is right for people to engage in the age argument, it is about what one can do and not how old an individual is,” she stated.
The victorious aspirant was also full of praises for the Kwabre East Constituency Women’s Organizer, Madam Afua Sarpong, whom she described as a political role model who supported her every step of the way, resulting in the victory.
“Yes, I would also thank my father, Dr. Kwaku Oteng and my mother, Obaa Yaa Brempomaa, as well as the media for their support and encouragement, but it is my hard work that at the end of the day contributed to my victory” she stated.
According to her, she won the elections because of her unique campaign strategy which focused solely on what she intends to do for the constituency rather than engaging in personal attacks like her contenders were doing.
She indicated that she and her campaign engaged in house to house and interpersonal communication, visiting delegates in their homes and offices and interacting with them.
“Whilst my competitors were going round engaging in personality attacks, I was seriously involved in explaining my vision and objectives to the delegates and assuring them of my intention to fulfill them,” she noted, stressing that she has already set in motion most of the campaign promises made to the constituency.
“As I am talking right now, work has already begun on the construction of a party office which I promised, I have additionally promised to give my first three months’ salary to the constituency and also renew on yearly basis, the NHIS premium of all delegates in the constituency,” she revealed.
The NPP newly elected Parliamentary Candidate further stated that her promise to revive the Kente industry, which is the major source of funding to most of the youth in the constituency, will be duly fulfilled, adding that some NGOs and individuals have already expressed their commitment to invest in the sector so as to improve the livelihood of the people in the constituency.
“My promise to improve education in the constituency by supporting needy but brilliant students resonated well with the people because we all know education is key to the development of every society,” she observed.
Educational Future
The KNUST Law Student also rejected the assertion that her objective to become a legal practitioner will be affected now that she has entered into politics. According to her, she has several options as far as her academic career was concerned, adding that she would make her intentions known in due course.
“I can choose to transfer to Accra, abandon the course entirely or shuttle between the two and I will make my choice after careful reflection,” she noted, stressing that this should not pose any problem to her at all.
According to her, by the time the next Parliamentarians will be sworn in, she will be left with only four months to the completion of her course, adding that she would make necessary adjustment if the need arises.
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