NPP Reserving Seats for Female MPs + the Fees Charged are Pure Madness

I wonder how the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NPP came up with this dangerous and self-defeating policy. Why should certain constituency seats be the preserve of female candidates? If a male may be able to win the seat handsomely easily for NPP, why should we make it compulsorily difficult for ourselves by presenting only females who may end up being defeated by a rival party's (NDC) candidate in the end?

It is just right that any willing NPP member, be they males or females are allowed to contest any parliamentary seat without any intentional discriminatory impediments placed in their way. This will help both our Ghanaian males and females become competitive through merit, but not any silly policy.

The sum total of GHC30, 000 being charged to new NPP MP aspirants in constituencies currently held by NDC or NPP opponents is also totally wrong. All sitting and incoming NPP parliamentary contestants are to be charged the same fee which should be not more than half of the stated sum with everything inclusive.

I wonder why the NEC of NPP has decided to go on that suicide mission or to proceed down that sudden death path. Whose brainchild is the policy that the NEC has come out with?

Nana Akufo Addo, “beware the ides of March” as said to Julius Caesar by the soothsayer. Many powerful people within the NPP have planed your downfall in election 2016. This NEC policy which has come under attack is one of the means to attain their objective. You must be able to read between the fine lines.

I know the party loves to empower women by encouraging them to become politicians, go to parliament, and become Government Ministers etc. You have to win power first, before you can be empowered, for it said, “A soldier walks on his stomach”. Women can be appointed to responsible positions in your government but you have first to win the election.

Are we not living in a world of equal rights to both males and females? Why then this policy by NPP National Executive Committee? The policy is purely nonsensical, no matter whoever's idea that was.

It has to be resisted by all meaningful Ghanaians, especially NPP activists, sympathisers etc. It should not be the duty of Nana Akufo Addo alone to pursue the strategies that will extricate Ghanaians from the shackles of the lethal socio-economic policies amid near-institutional corruption shamelessly rigidly placed around our wrists and ankles by President Mahama and his NDC government and party.

Let me emphasise, or buttress my bone of contention by reproducing an excerpt from Katakyie Kwame Agyemang Opoku's article published on Ghanaweb and Modernghana under the title, “Let's Protect our Female MPs!” He says, “Now, let's take our time to read this: • Filing fee of GHC10.000.00 for each Parliamentary aspirant in Orphan Constituency. Why not all constituencies? Is this proposal not discriminatory? • Filing fee of GHC10.000.00 for each sitting Member of Parliament seeking re-election, but new aspirants are to pay GHC30, 000 (Filing fee GHC10.000.00 + Development fee GHC20.000.00). Why should sitting MPs pay less than new entrants? Is this also not discriminatory? • 50% rebate on both the filling and development fees for Women, Youth and People with Disability. In other words, the Youth, Women, and the Disabled pay half of what others are paying? Is this not discriminatory? •12 coastal constituencies in the Greater Accra Region including Odododiodio, Tema, should be contested by Ga indigenes except in exceptional circumstances. Is this not discriminatory? Why only Ga indigenes? What about Ashanti seats? • Lastly, how do we expect the poor, but potential good MPs to pay GHC30, 000? Is this also not discrimination against the poor NPP members?”

Are the NEC also full to the brim with Agenda 2020 NPP activists hence the suicidal policy they have come up with? I will dispute anyone any day anytime on this not thought though, but crazy policy.

Rockson Adofo