NDC suspends 10 members in California branch
The Functional Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress( NDC), has suspended 10 members of the NDC California branch.
A press release signed by the General Secretary, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah stated that the Functional Executive Committee of the party considered a report submitted by the Deputy Director of International Relations, Mr. Fred Agbenyo through the Director of International Relations Hon. Alex Segbefia about the happenings with the California branch of the NDC-USA Chapter.
The following are the suspended members Arnold Appiah, Edith August, Ajei Abrokwa, Comfort Opoku Ogola, Funny Dufie Ware, Christian Richardson, Kafui Mensah, Regina Brown, Sylvester Ampem and Pius Opoku.
The statement noted that they were suspended based on credible allegation of violation of the code of the Constitution.
They have been requested to hand over all items and properties belonging to the Branch immediately, including but not limited to all Branch documents.
Read the full press release below:
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
NATIONAL SECRETARIAT
our Ref:
P. O. Box AN 5825
Accra - North, Ghana
Your Ref: ......................... Tel: +233 (0) 302 222 265
Email: ndcghhq@gmail.com
15 th Febuary,2022
The General Secretary National Democratic Congress NDC Head Office
Dear Sir,
INDISCIPLINE AND ANTI-PARTY BEHAVIOUR BY SOME CALIFORNIA BRANCH EXECUTIVES
It was brought to my attention by the USA Chapter Chairman that some branch executives
1. Edith August
2. Arnold Appiah
3. Ajei Abrokwa
4. Comfort Opoku Ogola
5. Funny Dufie Ware
6. Christian Richardson
7. Kafui Mensah
8. Regina Brown
9. Sylvester Ampem
10. Pius Opoku) of the California Branch at a meeting called by a Vice-Chairman passed a resolution to suspend and dismiss their chairman from the party.
According to them, they intercepted an audio on which the Branch Chairman was allegedly heard making some defamatory comments against a vice-chairman. The conversation on the alleged audio was purported to have taken place in 2018.
They circulated the so-called suspension/dismissing letter on several social media platforms and in the print media and cautioned the general public not to deal with him as a chairman of the branch.
I reported the incident to my boss and we agreed that the chapter chairman should arrange a meeting with all the Branch executives of California for us to, go into the issue.
I relied on articles 14, 48 and 49 of the party's constitution to declare their meeting and the decision to suspend/dismissed the chairman null and void. I subsequently admonished the chapter executives to invite the persons involved to appear before the chapter disciplinary committee to answer questions for the actions:
l . A branch vice-chairman calling for a branch meeting without recourse to the chairman.
2. For going against the advice and admonition of the chapter Secretary not to hold the said meeting.
3. To explain their locus to issuing a suspension/dismissing letter.
4. For causing the purported dismissing to be published on social and print media platforms.
5. For suggesting/stating that the party headquarters has no locus to determine how their branch is organized and run.
6. For disrespecting and abusing the deputy director of international relations at whose instance the meeting was organized and bringing the meeting to an abrupt end.
7. Others
I also advised the aggrieved group to petition the chapter if they have any reservations about his conduct in line with article 49 of the Constitution.
This advice didn't sit well with the aggrieved members. They verbally abused us and questioned our capacity in Accra to determine how they ran the party at their branch. It became chaotic and so the meeting was brought to an abrupt end.
I wish to recommend that the branch members involved are suspended and asked to appear before a disciplinary committee to serve as a deterrent.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Deputy Director, International Relations I-IQ
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
CALIFORNIA - BRANCH
Our Ref: . Los Angeles,
Your Ref: California.
To: Comrade John Duah
From: The Vice Chair, NDC California
Date: Feb 07, 2022
Dear Comrade John Duah
Subject: SUSPENSION
1.This is to formally inform you that you have been Suspended from the California Branch as the Chairman and a member of the National Democratic Congress ("NDC") party, effective immediately, in accordance with the steps laid out in articles 48 (1 ) (2) of the Party's Constitution under Discipline.
(1) "The discipline of any Party member shall be exercised by the respective executives of the Party at the various levels on the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee of that level, except that the Executive Committee at each level may suspend a member from membership of the Party or from holding any office in the Party for a period not more than six months before the commencement of disciplinary proceedings against that member if it is considered that the suspension is in the interest of the Party.
(2)Where the Executive Committee suspends a member pending the commencement of disciplinary proceedings against that member, it shall within one month after the date of the suspension refer the matter for adjudication by the Disciplinary Committee.'
2.This action by your fellow Executive members is based on credible allegation of violation of said code of the Constitution. You are therefore hereby requested to hand over all items and properties belonging to the Branch immediately, including but not limited to all Branch documents.
3.On the 20th of January 2022, the Branch received a petition from the Branch Women Organizer about a voice recording of you and one Isaac Lamptey of Ghana concerning the background of Comrade Arnold Appiah, a member of the party at our California Branch.
4.In the recording, a copy of which we have in our possession, you rightfully introduced yourself as a Branch Chairman of NDC California Branch and proceeded accordingly.
5.In the recording, criminal allegations and other unprintable words were used against a respected member of the Branch, Mr. Arnold Appiah, which seeks to embarrass the Branch and bring the image of the Branch into disrepute.
6.Having introduced yourself as the Branch Chairman in the recording, we find it objectionable that you did not inform the Branch of any upcoming due diligence on a member.
7.Further, the results of the due diligence were not presented to the Branch Executives but was rather posted on the NDC USA Chapter's general WhatsApp social media platform, and as a result, was used to ridicule the member and defame his character, as well as brought shame to the Branch.
8.As part of our due diligence into the petition and alleged violation of the Constitution, we sought to get your side of the story and your response was, to some effect, you were persuaded by the NDC USA Chapter Chairperson and other members to do so and some other unnamed NDC USA Chapter Executive members asked you to do so. You further stated that you did not deem it important to let the California Branch Executives know of this act.
9.We asked for the motive behind it, and you refused to cooperate with the Branch Executives.
10.Due to the magnitude of the allegations and the contents of the recording, as well as your subsequent conduct, the matter has created unnecessary tension and disunity within members and demoralized the entire Branch.
11.Moreover, you appeared unremorseful of the fall out of the recording and even stated "its politics". As a Branch, we do not subscribe to and believe that our Party subscribes to destroying the image of other members as part of our mission and cause. Hence, you've lost the moral authority and ethical right to continue to lead us while the investigation is ongoing.
12.At a meeting held on the 7th of February 2022, of which you were invited but failed to attend, members of the Branch Executives present voted unanimously to continue the meeting, which eventually led to the Executives coming to a decision to have you suspended while investigation into the matter commences.
Members present at the meeting were as follows:
Edith Augustt - Vice Chairperson Arnold Appiah - 2nd Vice Chairman
Adjei Abrakwa - AG Secretary
Comfort Ogola -Women Organizer
Fanny Dufie Ware - Deputy Women Organizer
Christina Richardson - Advisor/AG Treasurer
Kafui Mensah - Financial Secretary
Rosina Brown - Organizer
Sylvester Ampem - Communication Officer
Pius Opoku - Former Parliamentary Candidate for Tano North
13. We have, by a copy of this memo, refer the matter to a 3-member non-Executive Disciplinary Committee for further investigation and recommendations.
Sincerely,
Edith Augustt
Disciplinary C'tee, NDC California
Chairperson, NDC USA