NPP Suspends 4 Chairmen Over Afoko Demo

FOUR CONSTITUENCY chairmen of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region have been suspended for protesting against the party's National Executive Committee's (NEC's) decision to suspend the party's National Chairman, Paul Afoko.

The NPP Ashanti Regional Executive Committee, chaired by Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Wontumi, the Regional Chairman, took the bold decision after a marathon meeting in Kumasi on Saturday following the murder of a member of the party in broad daylight by hoodlums, including a suspected NDC member known as 50 Cent.

The suspended constituency chairmen are Isaac Brenya, Asawase; Joseph Agyeman Dapaah, Affigya South-East; Kwasi Nti Asamoah, Fomena and Okine Kwanimin, Ejisu.

The NPP has also suspended the party's youth organiser, deputy women's organiser and assistant secretary of Asawase as well as the Fomena youth organiser over the picketing which was carried out on Thursday in Accra for the reinstatement of Mr Afoko.

They have all been referred to the NPP Ashanti Regional Disciplinary Committee for further action to be taken against them, latest within the next 21 days, DAILY GUIDE has been informed.

The Ashanti Regional Executive Committee is made up of all the 43 sitting MPs, 47 constituency chairmen, regional executives and parliamentary candidates of orphan constituencies in the region.

Sam Pyne, the Regional Secretary, said the suspended party members breached Article 3HI of the NPP Constitution by behaving contrary to NEC's decision regarding the fate of Paul Afoko.

He said the Regional Executive Committee took the decision to suspend the party members following a petition that it received from other party members from Ejisu, Asawase, Fomena and Affigya                 South-East.

Mr Sam Pyne disclosed to DAILY GUIDE that letters about the suspension had been duly delivered to the affected members, noting that the action is to instil discipline in the party.

He appealed passionately to NPP members in the region to always abide by the party's Constitution in order to avoid being sanctioned.

Fomena Chairman
Reacting to the suspension, the Fomena Chairman, Kwasi Nti, said he was prepared to submit to the disciplinary processes of the party.

He however denied playing any role in organising the pro-Afoko demonstration in Accra.

Mr Kwasi Nti said, 'I…wish to put it on record that I never joined the said pro-Afoko demonstration and I pray the Disciplinary Committee would admit that and possibly reinstate me as chairman of my constituency.'

He said he would not do anything to undermine the party's effort to recapture power.

'Though, I admit I may have made some mistakes, I’ve never dreamt of harming the party or Nana Addo’s victory in 2016.

'But I want to ask the Ashanti Regional Executive Council to hurriedly arraign me before the Disciplinary Committee to further hear me. I hope and pray I will be reinstated as chairman because my love for the party surpasses every individual's or group's.

'All I care about is contributing my quota to the victory of our party in 2016 because that’s the only option for me as a loyal party member.

'Moreover, Ghana will have to work again and I firmly believe an Akufo-Addo-led administration has the capacity to ensure that. I care about Ghana and all I always want to do is help Nana Addo and the NPP to rescue Ghana from the state of hopelessness the NDC has engraved on us,' he stated.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi