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Some youth in the Navrongo Central constituency of the Upper East Region are calling on Dr. Raymond Ayilu, an economist and youth leader, to contest the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in order to win the seat for the party in the 2024 general elections.

According to the youth, Dr Ayilu is a young political leader who can bring fresh perspectives and unite the party in the area ahead of the elections.

Speaking to the media, they noted that Dr. Ayilu has demonstrable leadership skills, a passion for community service, and the clarity of vision required in the next Parliament in 2025.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), at its National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council meetings, held on Monday, April 3, 2023, approved the timelines for holding presidential and parliamentary primaries for the 2024 general elections.
According to the party, nominations for orphan constituencies would be opened on June 16, 2023, with elections scheduled from August 1 to December 2, 2023.

Navrongo seat

The NPP lost the Navrongo central seat to Sampson Tangombu, candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the 2020 general elections.

Before that, the NPP had won the seat from 2000 to 2016.

The defeat was attributed to division among supporters of former MP and Minister of Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda, and the NPP parliamentary candidate for 2020 and former Upper East Regional Minister, Abayage Tangoba.
Speaking to the media, Dr Ayilu confirmed his readiness to listen to the call of the youth. He said his decision to pay heed to the call is to bring unity to the party and “recapture the seat which until 2020 was a traditional seat of the NPP.”

About Dr Ayilu
Dr. Raymond Ayilu is an economist and youth leader. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Technology Sydney, a Master of Philosophy from the University of Ghana, and a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) in Economics from the University of Cape Coast.

The Postdoctoral research scientist based in Australia has several years of experience as a Researcher, Lecturer and Consultant for various organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Dr. Ayilu has also held positions as a committee member, coordinator, and executive in several other organizations.

Dr. Ayilu is a development Economist by training, a skillful lobbyist, and an experienced youth leader. During his days as a student leader, he was an outspoken advocate for Ghanaian students, serving as President of the Graduate Student Association of Ghana (GRASAG), PRO of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGs), and President of the Association of Economics Students at the University of Cape Coast.

He has been a strong member of the NPP student and youth wing and contributed immensely to the party's victory in the 2016 general election. During the first term of the NPP government, Dr. Raymond Ayilu was appointed as a Special Assistant at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources. At the Ministry, he worked closely with the late MP for Navrongo, Joseph Kofi Adda, in securing funding for the Tono water project, among other initiatives, which is now serving several Navrongo Constituency communities.