Ghana Elections 2024 Constituency Watch Episode 9: Tain Constituency

The Tain Constituency is located in the Tain District of the Bono Region of Ghana. It was carved out of the Wenchi Constituency in 2004, with Nsawkaw being the constituency capital.

It shares borders with several constituencies including Wenchi to the East, Jaman North to the west, Sunyani West to the South, Berekum East to the Southwest, and Banda to the North.

A map of Tain Constituency and boundary constituencies. (African Elections)

Agriculture is the main economic activity for residents in Tain, with crops such as maize, yam cassava and plantain, being the most cultivated.

According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, the population of the area is 115,568 and has a voter population of about 52,213 people, per the Electoral Commission’s 2020 voter register.  

The constituency became popular in 2008 when it became the decider in the presidential election run-off, which brought Professor John Evans Atta Mills to power.

The current Member of Parliament (MP) for the Constituency is Sulemana Adama of the NDC who came to power in 2021, after defeating the NPP candidate Gabriel Osei.

While the NDC won the last presidential and parliamentary elections, what have been the voting patterns of constituents since it was created in 2004, and what issues have influenced voting decisions over the years? This article explores these issues, as well as the key challenges facing constituents, ahead of the December polls.

Presidential Election Performance in the Tain Constituency

The graph below (figure 1) shows the voting patterns in the presidential elections in the Tain Constituency since it was created in 2004.

Source: Author's computation with data from the Electoral Commission (African Elections)

In the 2004 elections, the NPP candidate President John Agyekum Kufuor, won the constituency seat with 51% of the votes, defeating the NDC candidate, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, who garnered 46.3%.

The presidential election run-off, held on 28th December 2008 between Nana Akufo-Addo and Prof. Atta Mills, saw voting in 229 out of 230 constituencies. The Tain constituency could not vote due to the late arrival of electoral materials.

Results from the 229 constituencies were very close, with the NDC candidate leading marginally with 50.13% of the votes, closely followed by Nana Akufo-Addo with 49.87%, a difference of 23,000 votes.

The outcome was so tight that it could not be decided until the last constituency, Tain, cast its votes. With over 50,000 registered voters in Tain, the constituency's vote was crucial in determining the winner.

"The results from the Tain constituency could affect the eventual winner, so we have decided elections in Tain will be held this coming Friday, 2 January," former EC Chairman Afari-Gyan announced.

The NPP boycotted the elections after failing to block voting in Tain, citing security concerns. Despite the boycott, their candidate remained on the ballot. The NDC won the elections in the Tain constituency with 50.8% of the votes, while the NPP received 46.8%.

In the 2012 elections, the NDC increased its votes in the constituency, with John Mahama securing 55.9% against Akufo-Addo's 42.8%. The NPP recaptured the constituency in the 2016 elections, securing 49.9% of the votes compared to the NDC's 48.3%. In the 2020 elections, the NDC won the constituency marginally with 50.8%.

Over the five electoral cycles, the NDC has won the presidential elections in the constituency three times (2008, 2012, and 2020), and the NPP has won twice (2004 and 2016).

Parliamentary Election Performance in the Tain Constituency

The graph below (figure 2) shows the parliamentary performance of the NDC and the NPP in the Tain Constituency from 2004 to 2020.

Source: Author's computation with data from the Electoral Commission (African Elections)

In the 2004 elections, Joe Danquah won the seat, becoming the first MP for the Tain constituency on the ticket of the NDC. He obtained 50.5% of the votes, defeating his NPP opponent, Ibrahim Ahmed, who garnered 48%.

Joe Danquah could not retain his seat in the 2008 Ghanaian general elections. He secured 39% of the votes, losing to the NPP candidate Ibrahim Ahmed, who secured 48%. An independent candidate, Obour Richard and candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party obtained the rest of the votes, 12.6% and 0.52% respectively.

In the 2012 elections, Kwasi Agyemang Gyan-Tutu won the seat for the NDC with 56.05%, while Joseph Ofori Amanfo of the NPP obtained 41.98%.

The NPP made a surprising comeback in the 2016 elections, with their candidate, Gabriel Osei narrowly beating the NDC candidate with 45.66% of the votes. He narrowly edged out the NDC's Kwasi Agyemang Gyan-Tutu, who secured 45.54% of the total valid votes.

In the 2020 elections, the NDC candidate Sulemana Adama reclaimed the seat from the NPP, securing 45.38% of the votes to defeat the NPP's Gilbert Osei, who garnered 40.87%.

What Are the Key Issues?

The Tain Constituency faces significant challenges, with a poor road network being the biggest. Last year, residents of Seikwa, a suburb of the constituency organized a demonstration to protest the neglected state of their roads, which has persisted for years. The bad roads have negatively impacted agricultural activities and local businesses.

Another key challenge is inadequate drinking water, with some residents relying on rivers for drinking water. Speaking to the Media, the MP for the area Sulemana Adama bemoaned the poor water facilities. “During my visits to the various communities in the constituency, the people mentioned lack of potable drinking water and deplorable roads as their immediate needs that needed urgent government attention,” he stressed.

The water and road infrastructure challenges among others, are some of the key issues that will be on the minds of voters as they prepare to vote in the upcoming December Elections.

Who Wins the 2024 Elections in Tain?

(African Elections)

As the 2024 elections approach, the political landscape in Tain is heating up. The NDC has chosen to stick with the incumbent MP, Sulemana Adama, while the NPP is bringing in fresh energy with their new candidate, Alexander Ababio. The big question is: will Sulemana Adama hold onto his seat, or will Alexander Ababio turn the tides in his favor? With the Tain Constituency historically seeing close election results, predicting a winner is no easy task. The outcome will likely hinge on which candidate or party can best align their policies with the needs and aspirations of the local voters and sway them in their favor.

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