Sammy Awuku: We cannot run the NPP like a military institution

National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Awuku says the party cannot be run as military institution where people are not allowed to challenge orders.

National Chairman, Paul Afoko, on Tuesday told journalists at a news conference that all officers at the party's headquarters will be asked to take a minimum of 15-days compulsory annual vacation as a way of “professionalizing the party”.  

But speaking on the Super Morning Show, Wednesday, Sammy Awuku said the directive is only applicable in military institutions where decisions from higher authority go unchallenged.

“Running a political party is different from running a military institution. You cannot say conform and expect everybody to conform…It will be a very difficult order to follow,” Mr. Awuku noted.

He described as impractical for a party in opposition working hard to wrestle power in the generation election to direct its officers to take a vacation in an election year.

 “That may be a dereliction of duty,” he asserted.

The party's headquarters was the scene of mayhem on Tuesday, when thugs wielding machetes and weapons invaded the premises to disrupt the news conference. Personnel from the police service had to intervene to restore law and order.

Mr. Paul Afoko who was addressing the media together with his General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong, later blamed agents of the governing National Democratic Congress for masterminding the attacks.

It follows disagreements within the leadership over a directive for the Acting Communications Director, Perry Okudzeto to proceed on two years' accumulated leave.

“These scenes that we saw yesterday [on TV] were clearly avoidable…It's been worrying. I am not embattled yet but it's been deeply frustrating honestly," the Youth Organiser said.

He added: “The NPP belongs to the millions of people who are locked up in villages and cities…we need to give them a voice to speak”.

He was however, hopeful that the NPP will bounce back to present a formidable front ahead of the 2016 elections.

“Our dream…is on course and I can assure that the very things that they are hearing today will be addressed in just about a week”.

                
Inviting the NDC
Immediate-past Youth Organiser, Anthony Karbo stated that the NDC had nothing to do with Tuesday's disturbances at the party's headquarters as the chairman had claimed.

Mr. Karbo said the executive of the NPP must take full responsibility for the incident which was orchestrated by known faces within the party.

“The NDC has absolutely nothing to do with what happened in our Headquarters...How can the NDC invade our headquarters? It's not possible. We are not going to shift blame to the NDC and invite NDC into this.”

He accused the General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong of being domineering with his utterances.

“The moment you begin [as an executive of the party] to say that I am the Boss, I am the Boss; you've lost it!

“As General Secretary we would expect that he would use his interpersonal skills to bring people of all shades together to develop the party…To find a National Organizer, Youth Organizer and First Vice Chair speaking openly on radio denouncing the General Secretary clearly tells you that there is a clear breakdown in communications among the leadership,” Karbo observed.

  Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Jerry Tsatro Mordy | [email protected]