<<Print>>

Dear Editor, In the run up to the NPP primaries, a lot of media attention was focused on the Ablekuma South Constituency, and rightly so. It was the seat Ursula Owusu was vying for with 3 male contestants, and many people across the length and breadth of the country and beyond watched the contest keenly to know what the outcome would be. This outspoken, articulate, intelligent, fearless, fun-loving woman has become one of the most loved, admired, feared and hated women in contemporary Ghana today and many waited with bated breath, with most of them praying for her victory while others hoped for her defeat. Ablekuma South is one of the largest constituencies in the country, with 140 polling stations, and almost 750 delegates. It is also a very diverse constituency with the middle class neighbourhoods of Dansoman Estates, Mamprobi and Korle- Bu nestling alongside the coastal communities of Korle Gonno, Chorkor, Gbegbeyisei, Glefe, the Zongo community of Tunga and other areas such as Shiabu. It was an interesting campaign in which one of the male contestants, who begun by promising to give the majority of delegates a 2-bedroom bungalow each, reduced it to a plot of land each as the campaign wore on and finally settled on a plot of land for every 4 delegates. Another also touted his home boy credentials, claiming he was born and bred in Korle Gonno, married a Chorkor woman and went to school in Mamprobi. Ursula�s campaign on the other hand focused on the fact that she had acquired the requisite experience to manage the diversity of opinions, needs and desires of the constituents though her work as a human rights lawyer, women and children�s rights advocate, private legal practitioner, special assistant to the Attorney General, governance coordinator of the Ministry of Justice, managing director and NPP activist. Her media advocacy for the NPP and outspoken defense of the party, championing the cause of disadvantaged women of Ghana, regardless of their political affiliation, boldness and courage in the face of relentless insults, lies and attacks against her person by misguided political opponents also worked to her advantage and endeared her to the delegates. Most delegates also claimed that ordinary residents of the constituency, from various political backgrounds, also actively campaigned for and urged them to vote for Ursula as she could best work for the development of the constituency. Ursula claimed that she was the candidate most feared by the NDC because they knew she was best placed to wrest the seat from them. Predictably, NDC affiliated media houses launched a barrage of attacks against her, with some of their members claiming they were actively working on the ground to ensure her defeat in the primaries, regardless of President Mills�s advice to all and sundry to mind their own business (dzi wo fie asem!!) Her message of focusing on the best candidate to give the party a good shot at regaining the seat, teamwork, and above all uniting and closing ranks to work together to reposition the party for victory 2012, under the campaign slogan of �Development in Unity�, resonated with the delegates and they accordingly delivered a resounding mandate to Ursula to lead them to recapture lost territory in December 2012. Out of 698 delegates who voted, Ursula won with 402 votes, leaving her closest challenger to pick up 190 votes, followed by �Shia tse� with 100 votes, with the last man getting 6 votes- a veritable landslide indeed! Ursula took on 3 strong men and floored them convincingly, demonstrating that she deserves and has earned the accolade conferred on her by the delegates- �our modern day Yaa Asantewa.� I will urge her to give effect to her campaign message of �Development in Unity�, reach out to her fellow contestants and all people of goodwill in the constituency, campaign effectively and win the seat in the general elections with a similar convincing margin. I was not surprised that she won so emphatically because I know that despite the NDC propaganda overdrive aimed at discrediting Ursula, the discerning people of Ghana appreciate her contributions to the national political discourse, admire her boldness and insightful analysis and find her tenacity quite refreshing. Despite the rough and tumble life she has chosen in the murky world of our politics, she still finds time to dance to good music??? What an inspirational role model she has become! I am even more convinced now that she is doing something right for mother Ghana and gratified that my earlier article was spot on. Ayekooo Ursula. Keep up the good work and may the good lord crown your efforts with success!