NPP Ashanti regional polls: It's time to change Wontumi and bring in Chairman Odeneho — Founding Member

A founding member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti region, Mr George Ayisi Boateng, has appealed to the delegates in the region to change the current regional chairman of the party and opt for someone who can bring all party members together to win power in 2024.

"Ashanti region NPP needs a team player: someone who will lead the party in the region and bring every party member together for people to admire the party and join hands with us to break the 8-year political cycle in 2024", the member of the NPP’s Council of Elders in the Ashanti region said in an interview with Kumasi-based Sompa television at the weekend.

“If l am to make a choice among those leading members of NPP seeking to lead the region as chairman, l will choose Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah also known as (COKA)”, he declared.

In his view, COKA “is the best for the party, or even Asare Bediako”.

“Chairman Odeneho, for instance, as Chairman for his Constituency, helped to build a befitting Constituency office for the party”, he explained.

Mr Ayisi Boateng noted that all past and the current regional Chairmen of NPP have done their bit but it was time for the party to chart a new direction.

"Chairman Yaw Amankwah, for instance, did his best; he did his work perfectly. So was Chairman F.F. Anto and others. It is time the leadership of the regional office is changed for those who will unify the rank and file of the party to deliver success", Mr Ayisi Boateng said.

He bemoaned the fact that even though the Ashanti region is the heartbeat of NPP and contributes more votes to its electoral success than any other region, it cannot boast of a befitting regional office.

Instead, he observed that the party operates from a rented office which is dilapidated.

Years ago, he said a chief gave the party two plots of land at Trede because of good leadership while the late Agyabeng from Mampong, an architect, also did some drawings for the regional party for free.

“Where is the land now”, Mr AyisI Boateng asked, adding that there is too much deceit.

"It is sad that today, the NPP in the Ashanti region cannot pay for its rented office in Kumasi”, Ghana’s former High Commissioner to South Africa said.

NPP is billed to hold a regional congress from May 27 to 29 this year to elect new officers who will steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The five people vying for the regional chair slot are the incumbent, Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi; former Kwabre South Constituency Chairman, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah also known as COKA, and former Asokwa Constituency Chairman Asare Bediako.

The others are the former Member of Parliament for Ejisu Constituency, Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi and Mr Oheneba Kofi Bawuah.