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17.04.2014 NPP

NPP New Executives Under Pressure

By Daily Guide
NPP New Executives Under Pressure
17.04.2014 LISTEN

Sammi Awuku
Intense lobbying has begun in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for various positions in the party days after the party's crucial national delegates' conference in Tamale.

The conference saw the election of Mr Paul Afoko as the newly-elected National Chairman of the party, Freddie Blay, Sammy Crabbe and Fred Fredua Anto as 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd National Vice Chairmen, Kwabena Agyepong as General Secretary, John Boadu as National Organiser, Otiko Afisa Djaba as National Women's Organiser, Sammi Awuku as National Youth Organiser, Kwabena Abankwa Yeboah as National Treasurer and Kamal-Deen Abdulai as National Nasara Coordinator.

But just some days after the congress, DAILY GUIDE has gathered that pressure is mounting on some of the newly-elected national executives of the party for appointments to various appointive positions in the party including those of two deputy General Secretaries, deputy National Organiser, two deputy National Women's Organisers and two deputy National Youth Organiser.

Intense lobbying
Some are also said to be seriously lobbying the newly-elected National Chairman, Paul Afoko and his General Secretary who are yet to fully assume their positions at the party's Asylum Down national headquarters for other positions like those of Director of International Affairs, Communications, Elections and so on which are all appointive.

This is view of the fact that the 'old order' (previous executives) has changed term.

With the dawn of a 'new era' (executives), people who supported their candidature and subsequent election into office have therefore started jostling for various positions.

The newly-elected National Youth Organiser, Sammi Awuku, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE, could not hide the intense pressure being mounted on him for the two slots for Deputy National Youth Organiser positions that he has to fill.

Per the provisions of the party, he is expected to appoint two persons as his deputies with inputs from the party.

Though he declined to mention names high on the cards for consideration, he admitted, 'I can say that I am under a lot of pressure from the various regional youth wings to consider one of their own; but I can only make two choices.'

Tough Decision
He could not but admit that 'it's a very tough decision because they are able-bodied young men and women who are willing to serve.'

Even though whatever choice or decision he makes would have to go to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for final approval, Awuku, the 'boys abr3' man stated, 'I believe that I will make those choices that will resonate to the rank and file of the youth wing.'

As it stands now, Sammi Awuku said, 'I have about eight people that I have to choose two from as I do broader consultation.

'I want to take the rest of the days in the week to put together a team for the youth wing and also help in restructuring the NPP youth wing to make it much-more effective and sharper from the constituency, right to the region and to the national.'

The rate of lobbying in the party for various appointive positions in the NPP is therefore expected to get more intensive in the coming days.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

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