Kumasi, Feb.2, GNA - Mr Fredrick Fredua Anto, former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Monday wrest the position from his predecessor.

He polled 449 votes to beat the incumbent Chairman; Mr Robert Yaw Amankwaah, who garnered 267 votes in a keenly contested election supervised by the Electoral Commission at a Regional Party's Delegates' Congress held in Kumasi.

Mr Anto was the Regional Chairman of the party from 1998 to 2006. Alhaji Shaibu Musah Shariff was elected the first Vice Chairman, Mr Kwabena Nsenkyire, second Vice Chairman, Mr Samuel Pyne, Regional Secretary, Mr Kwame Asamoah-Boateng, Assistant Secretary, Ms Hagar Asante, Treasurer, and Mr Kennedy Kwasi Kankam, Organiser.

The rest are Ms Alberta Owusu Ansah, Women's Organiser, Gideon Boako, Youth Organiser, and Alhaji Mohammed Abdul Hamid, NASARA Co-ordinator. The National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac Manu, swore the new officers into office and called for calm and unity in the party to ensure victory in Election 2012.

Mr Amankwaah, the out-going Regional Chairman, described the election as a "win for the NPP", and pledged support for the newly elected executive. Mr Anto thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in them and vowed to work hard for electoral victory in 2012. He said since the regional party elections were over, members should forge unity to ensure that NPP recapture power in the 2010 general election. 2 Feb. 10