The Eastern Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Bismark Tawiah Boateng has cautioned constituency, Regional and National Executives of the party as well as persons with ambitions to hold leadership positions in the party to desist from interfering in the ongoing branch election processes in the region.
The exercise is being undertaken in 3,243 branches of the party in the region.
The National Executives Committee (NEC) of the NDC fixed April 14 to 30 for the conduct of branch elections across the country in a bid to strengthen the party at the grassroot level ahead of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary polls.
The party directed all its regional and constituency chairmen to ensure that the elections are held within the stipulated period and in accordance with the approved regulations for the conduct of branch executive elections by the party.
As a result, the Eastern Regional secretariat of the party has held a sensitization workshop for the constituency executives who are members of the various election committees on the guidelines on conducting branch elections and subsequently distributed the nomination forms to them at the Party’s Regional office.
Speaking to the media, the controversial Eastern Regional Chairman Bismark Tawiah Boateng stated that, unity throughout all electoral processes of the party is crucial to its reorganization agenda in preparation towards 2020 general election adding, any interference could jeopardize that agenda as that would create enmity and disunity among the grassroot base of the party.
Hence, he charged the election committee members who are to supervise the branch elections to be fair, firm and transparent in the conduct of the elections at the various branches in the region.
Mr.Tawiah Boateng added that the Regional Monitoring teams will also be on the grounds to ensure that the rules and regulations are adhered to and more importantly ensure that no intruder is allowed to contest as threatened by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Chairman Antwi Boasiako alias Wontumi.
The Regional Secretary Mark Oliver Kevor on his part admonished the committees in charge of the branch elections to put aside their personal interest and allow all qualified members willing to contest to take part in the election.
He also urged the branch members to vote for persons committed and competent for the execution the party’s agenda to recapture power in 2020.
A statement issued by the National Organizer of the party, Kofi Adams stated that ”for the avoidance of doubt, the constituency election directorate should work with the constituency executives in all processes leading to the holding of branch elections. Former MP’s, all former appointees (MMDCE’s, Ministers, Staffers etc.) and former party executives at all levels, residents in the constituency must be involved in the supervision of the branch elections”.
The statement further clarified that “branches which do not meet the minimum membership requirement of 20 registered members shall not hold their elections but reopen for further registration of members”.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
