A photo collage of John Kumah, Ernest Yaw Kumi, Ekow Hayford and Philip Basoah
Over the past five years, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lost four sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) who tragically passed away before completing their terms in office.
These unexpected deaths have not only shaken the party but also triggered by-elections in their respective constituencies.
Below is a list of the four NPP MPs who died while serving in Parliament:
1.Ekow Kwansah Hayford – Mfantseman Constituency (2020)
The then MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Kwansah Hayford, was tragically shot dead on October 9, 2020.
He was returning from a campaign tour on the Nkusukum Mankessim–Abeadze Duadze road in the Central Region around 1 a.m. when unknown assailants attacked his convoy.
According to eyewitness reports, the MP’s vehicle was stopped by suspected robbers. When he identified himself, the assailants accused him of making life difficult for them and shot him.
He had filed his nomination for re-election just a day before the incident.
He was succeeded by his wife, Ophelia Mensah Hayford, who served one term in Parliament.
However, she lost the seat in the 2024 elections to Prince Ebenezer Arhin of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a first-time candidate who secured 35,832 votes.
2.Philip Basoah – Kumawu Constituency (2023)
Philip Basoah, the MP for Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, died on March 28, 2023, at the age of 53.
He was found unconscious in his room on March 24, 2023, and later passed away at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Basoah was serving his third term in Parliament.
His seat was subsequently replaced by Ernest Yaw Anim, who won the by-election.
3.John Kumah – Ejisu Constituency (2024)
John Kumah, the MP for Ejisu and then Deputy Minister of Finance, died on March 7, 2024, at the age of 45.
He was widely regarded as one of the rising stars in the NPP and was even considered by some as a potential running mate to the party’s 2024 flagbearer, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Kumah was a lawyer, preacher, and entrepreneur. Before entering Parliament in 2020, he served as the CEO of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP).
He is survived by his wife, Apostle Mrs Lilian Kumah, and six children.
His seat has been replaced by Kwabena Boateng.
4.Ernest Yaw Kumi, Akwatia Constituency (2025)
Ernest Yaw Kumi, the NPP MP for Akwatia, passed away on July 7, 2025, after a short illness.
A first-time MP, Kumi had recently been involved in a high-profile legal battle over the legitimacy of his election.
His death came just weeks after the Supreme Court overturned his contempt conviction related to the disputed 2024 parliamentary election results.
As a tribute, the First Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, draped his seat in red cloth in Parliament.
AM/KA
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