Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom won the December, 2004 parliamentary election on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to become the Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA). He won the election convincingly with 30,981 votes against the 15,427 votes for his opponent from the NDC. His 66.8% win compares to the 52.8% of the presidential votes won by President John A. Kufuor in the same KEEA constituency to gain a second term.
He is the Chairman of the Nkrumahist Caucus in Parliament. This Caucus is made up of CPP/PNC/Independent Members of Parliament. He has served on the following Parliamentary Committees since January, 2005.
• Selection;
• Trade and Industry;
• Finance; and
• Local Government.
He has worked with Parliament to introduce and pass bills on:
• Subvented Agencies; and
• The Millennium Development Authority.
He has contributed actively to debates on the floor of Parliament. He is one of the most punctual members who is absent only when on official assignments in Ghana or abroad.
Statements he has made on the floor of the House include:
• Accidents on the Kasoa-Yamoransa highway;
• Ghana’s Independence: and
• The Millennium Challenge Account compact.
He can frequently be heard on the floor of the House asking members to be less partisan in their contributions and represent all of their constituents and not just their political parties. Dr. Nduom has been unhappy about the presence of the executive (ministers) in Parliament which he feels undermines the impact of the legislature on national life. Indeed, he has resolved not to serve in the dual capacity of MP and Minister of State again as he sees a conflict of roles and responsibilities. He does not understand why the Majority Leader of the House also serves as a Minister of State. He considers the situation where Ministers of State are seated in front of Chairpersons of Parliamentary Committees as an affront to the House.
Dr. Nduom will be long remembered as the MP who happens to be a Minister of State who questioned the Ghana @50 Secretariat and the nation’s preparedness for the historic Jubilee year of independence celebrations. He gave voice to the feelings and perceptions of Ghanaians as evidenced by the public reactions to media accounts of the comments he made in Parliament.
In his constituency, Dr. Nduom has been an MP with a difference – accountable, transparent and visible in the community. Through him, the name KEEA is recognized in many places nationally.
He regularly visits his constituents through formal town hall meetings always presided over by the chief of the town or village. The chief speaks, the Assembly Member of the area speaks, Dr. Nduom makes his presentation and then he answers questions from the audience.
In addition, he from time to time goes on the local radio station, Ahomka FM to give account of what is happening in Parliament and answers questions from the audience. He uses these occasions to present an account of how the MP’s share of the District Assembly Common Fund has been spent. He initiated Consultative Meetings of Stakeholders in the District to discuss development issues and their solutions. In addition, he also initiated meetings in Accra of KEEA citizens to inform them of developments back home and encourage them to take active interest in their home towns.
Dr. Nduom has made building community libraries and community centers his area of focus in investing funds made available to him. In this regard, he is building:
- A community library in Elmina and a smaller one in Brenu Akyinim for the Edina Traditional area;
- A community library in Agona and a Community Center in the Berase town for the Abrem Traditional area:
- A community library in Komenda for the Komenda Traditional area; and.
- A community library in Abreshia and a community centre at Eguafo in the Eguafo Traditional area.
He has made it a point to participate actively in festivals in every traditional area in the constituency. When he cannot attend an event himself, he always sends someone to represent him.
Dr. Nduom has assisted many in his constituency to further their education. He has made it a policy that any student in his constituency who qualifies and gains admission to a university but has financial difficulties will be given assistance. Through this, he has made it possible for a number of students to go through university.
Dr. Nduom has been instrumental in forging good relationships between Elmina and the Netherlands, France and the United States of America. The Town of Provins, France is cooperating with Elmina to improve tourism potential particularly through strengthening the planning and organization of the annual Bakatue and Edina Bronya festivals.
Two members of the KEEA District Assembly staff have been sponsored to France to undertake refresher courses in public administration. He has also made contact with officials from the U.S. Virgin Islands to establish a cultural tourism relationship.
As the Member of Parliament and Minister of State, Dr. Nduom lobbied successfully to ensure the dredging of the Elmina Benya Lagoon to improve the fishing industry and the improvement of important roads such as the Ankaful-Amisano-Elmina road, the Agona-Essiam-Effutu road, the Komenda Junction-Komenda road, the Edinaman Secondary School access road and others.
He has also seen to the reconstruction of the Elmina Bridge. He has seen to implementation of a very extensive electrification project in the entire constituency that has improved the living standards of many.
Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom won the December, 2004 parliamentary election on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to become the Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA). He won the election convincingly with 30,981 votes against the 15,427 votes for his opponent from the NDC. His 66.8% win compares to the 52.8%..
On August 1, 2006, Ghana’s Minister for Public Sector Reform, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom and the Chief Executive Officer of MCC, Ambassador John Danilovich signed a $547 million Compact for the implementation of Ghana’s Agricultural Transformation Program. Speaking at the signing ceremony, President J. A. Kufuor said the Compact marks “the changing relations between North and South,” between the rich and developing nations...
