NPP Elects Council Members

Kwamena Bartels and Robert Kutin
THE CENTRAL regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has held a regional delegates' conference to elect members to represent the region on the National Council – the second highest decision-making body after congress.

The five members were elected by popular acclamation since nobody picked nomination forms to contest the position.

The Assin South Constituency Chairman of the party, Owusu Ambrose, moved the motion for acclamation and the Effutu Constituency Chairman, Theophilus Kojo Helm, seconded it.

The members are the Regional Chairman, Robert Kutin who is an automatic member; the Regional Secretary and the Organiser, Kwamena Duncan and Thomas Adjei Baffour respectively.

The rest are Kwamena Bartels, Nana Awuku and Kwaku Ofori Essiama.

Although the party's constitution demanded that the National Council members be elected, by convention, members are always appointed from the regions.

This has prompted the current national officers to apply what is in the party's document, hence the elections which have begun in the Central Region.

Addressing the delegates, National Organiser of the party, John Boadu, noted that Ghanaians wanted the NPP to form a government to redeem them from their suffering, hence, the need for members to work hard to recapture power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2016.

Mr. Boadu cited an instance where the party lost in most of its stronghold polling stations and therefore appealed to supporters to canvass for more members and sympathisers.

The Regional Chairman, Robert Kutin, called for unity among supporters of the party to ensure total victory in the 2016 elections, which he described as 'very crucial.'

The other nine regions are expected to hold their congress today and tomorrow.

Mr. Duncan, the regional secretary, said Article (7d) of the NPP Constitution states that there should be a delegates' conference to elect representatives to serve on the National Council where 50% of the representatives should be from the regional executives, while another 50% would be elected from the constituencies.

A statement issued by the General Secretary of the party, Kwabena Agyepong, said all aspirants were to pay an amount of GH¢2,000 as filing and nomination fee.

It further advised members to ensure that the elections were held in strict conformity with the provisions of the party's constitution.

'The elections should be representative of the demography of the region as to reflect the diversity and national character of the party,' the statement further indicated.

FROM Sarah Afful, Mankessim