PPP Holds Convention Saturday

Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) will, barring any last-minute hitches, hold its first national convention at the VIP Wing of the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra Saturday.

About 3,500 delegates drawn from all the 230 constituencies are expected to take part in the one-day convention, which will be on the theme, “Educate, Inform and Organise for Victory 2012”.

The key highlights of the convention will include the outdooring of the party’s constitution, the introduction of interim national executives, as well as the spelling out of the processes for conducting and selecting parliamentary and presidential candidates.

The convention will also be used to let Ghanaians know the true state of the party and present a “political platform” whose agenda is built on four pillars — stewardship, education, health care and jobs.

During the convention, some of the aspiring parliamentary candidates of the PPP will be introduced to the delegates.

The climax will be the introduction of the sole presidential aspirant, , to the gathering. He will also be given the

opportunity to make a speech.
Dr Nduom, the 2008 presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), resigned from that party on December 28, 2011 and immediately announced the formation of the new progressive movement which was transformed into a fully fledged political party, the PPP, on Thursday, February 2, 2012 when the Electoral Commission presented the party with a provisional certificate to commence activities as a nationally recognised politically party.

The party’s slogan is “AWAKE”.
With regard to the presidential election, a member of the organising committee disclosed that at the close of nominations, only Dr Nduom had filed his nomination. “Therefore, we have one person yet to be confirmed by our party as the presidential candidate for the 2012 elections.

“We have decided to make the confirmation of our presidential candidate a national affair. We want many of our registered members to participate in the process. This means that conferences will be held in all the 230 constituencies on different dates to confirm the candidate and select parliamentary candidates,” he said.

The Communications Director of the party, Mr Richmond Keelson, also disclosed that the convention would serve as an interactive platform for the members of the PPP, supporters, as well as sympathisers, to acquaint themselves with the ethics and values of the party.

In an interview, Dr Nduom stated that the PPP wanted the opportunity to implement what he called an “agenda for change” when the party was elected into office, come January 2013.

He said the party would implement the agenda using the spirit of inclusiveness that would enable it to use the best Ghanaians, the full participation of women and the youth and, above all, a leadership that was incorruptible.

“By dealing with corruption, we can double government revenue which will be used to pay for our transformational initiatives in education, health care and job creation,” he stated.

He also said the PPP aimed at creating a just and disciplined society, with a passion for excellence and science and technology as the cornerstone, for Ghana to become a higher level middle-income country.