Aspirants who appeared before the Vetting Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the parliamentary primary in the nine constituencies of the Western Region have pledged to work towards retaining and securing more seats for the party. The first day of the three-day vetting exercise saw the 10 aspirants from three constituencies: Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Ahanta West and Essikado-Ketan, successfully going through the vetting. A total of 25 aspirants who filed their nominations to contest in the parliamentary primary in the region would be vetted. The contestants, in separate interviews after the vetting, said they would work hard to retain the seats and increase the NPP's votes in their respective constituencies when elected. Essikado-Ketan presented three candidates: Anna Horma Akaisie Mieza, Giovanni Nana Osei Tutu Agyeman, and Mr Charles Bissue. Mr Charles Bissue, who is also a former Presidential Staffer and Western Regional Secretary of the Party, promised to work towards victory for the party in Decemb er if given the nod. 'I have that experience to ensure the party retains the Essikado-Ketan seat,' he said, and promised to engage in a clean campaign and called on the aspirants to do same. Mr Giovanni Agyeman, on his part, expressed optimism of winning the primary, saying: 'The seat is for NPP. For 20 years, NPP had occupied the seat and there is no way we will allow any other political party to snatch it from us. We should rather increase the votes and I'm the best person to do that'. Anna Mieza, the third aspirant, was primarily queried on her decided to move from her former constituency, Ellembelle, to contest in Essikado-Ketan. 'I know the electorate in the Essikado-Ketan constituency need a woman who will understand and offer motherly care and work to improve upon their living standards and I am the one,' she said. Another aspirant from Tarkwa, Mr George Mireku Duker, who is the sitting MP of Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, a third term runner, told journalists th at his service within the eight years was his trump card. The MP, who had the shortest duration in the vetting, described the exercise as very friendly, adding that the process was not new to him. Mr Francis Eric Pobee, an aspirant for the Ahanta West constituency seat, believed he was the preferred choice among the other four contenders. 'The polling station executives in the constituency have been starving for far too long and when given the nod I will ensure their welfare becomes my priority', he added. Meanwhile, successful aspirants would, on January 27, 2024, contest in the parliamentary primary in the nine constituencies. Source: Ghana News Agency