Western Regional Minister retains seat
By Seth Danquah, GNA
Takoradi, Dec. 09, GNA – Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Takoradi Constituency, retained his seat after beating his main contender Mr Frederick Faustinus Faidoo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) aspirant.
The Minister who was elected into office in 2008, having maintained his seat for a third time garnered 25,480 while Mr Faidoo garnered 11,886 and Mr Peter Oswald Essien of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM) secured 118 votes.
Total votes cast stood at 37,881 while valid votes recorded 37,530 with 351 rejected.
Mr Darko-Mensah’s decision to seek re-election for the fourth time has been motivated by his good works such as empowering the youth, giving loans and capital to constituents, creating employment and job opportunities.
He is determined in his next term as a legislator for the constituents to create job opportunities for the teeming youth to trickle down to their families and improve upon their lot with a pledge to do even more if elected, and ensuring the total development and growth of the Constituency.
Mr Darko-Mensah born on 18th June, 1974, hails from Potsin, a town in the Central Region.
He attended the Badu-Addo and Services Basic School and had his secondary education at Mfantsipim School and proceeded to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry in 2000.
He later pursued a postgraduate degree in Democracy, Governance, Law and Development from the University of Cape Coast in 2006. He also received certificates from Sangonet, South Africa, and Empretec Ghana.
Mr Darko-Mensah is a Biochemist and a Hotelier by profession and a politician being the current Western Regional Minister.
From 1995 to 1998, he was in charge of Operations Management at the Ahenfie Hotel and worked with e-Bax Africa Limited as the Managing Director from 2000 to 2008.
He also worked as the Director of Operations at the Guest House Maggi from 2003 to 2008.
Prior to entering politics in 2009, he was the Proprietor of Multi-Care Preparatory School, Gomoa Potsin.
Mr Darko-Mensah entered parliament on 7 January 2009 as a Member of Parliament for the Takoradi Constituency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party and has remained in parliament winning the subsequent elections (2012 and 2016) since 2009.
Mr Darko-Mensah was appointed Deputy Minister for Aviation in 2017 by Nana Akufo-Addo and remained in that position until February 2019 when he was appointed Regional Minister for the Western Region.
In Parliament, he has served on various committees, which include; the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, the Education Committee, the Business Committee and the Roads and Transport Committee.
Mr Darko-Mensah is a Methodist and married with three children.
GNA