Accra, Feb. 4, GNA - Dr Austin Asamoa-Tutu, a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Thursday tasked the national executives of the party to appreciate the contributions of competitors in elections.

He said: "We must appreciate and harness the contributions of all members, especially those who contested elections and lost, as their contributions are crucial for the unity of the party." Dr Asamoa-Tutu who lost the National chairmanship slot to the incumbent, Dr Kwabena Adjei, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that national executives must put in place modalities for consolidating and strengthening intra-party unity.

"We need our collective strength to retain power in Elections 2012." Dr Asamoa-Tutu suggested that the national executive sets up a special committee to collate all campaign messages, ideas and suggestions that were put across during the recent congress and use them as a baseline working document.

He also suggested to the national executive to create a platform for both winners and losers, as well as their campaign teams at the recent congresses, from the ward through the constituency, regional and national levels to meet and fraternize.

"Such a forum would reduce, if not eliminate, bitterness and suspicion among the various camps, which emerged during the processes leading to the congress," he said.

He reminded the national executives of his preparedness to collaborate and work for the party for the consolidation of unity and to build the party through investing in Information and Communication Technology, linking all constituencies to their regional offices and linking the regional offices to the national offices for effective communication. Dr Asamoa-Tutu said: "We need to build a party and democratic system of administration under which all members will be able to contribute to the welfare, peace and prosperity of our great party and keep it from dictatorship and oppression."

He said despite losing, he and others who contested contributed greatly towards deepening intra-party democracy within the NDC. "I therefore pledge to continue to render selfless, honest, committed and dedicated service to the party."

Dr Asamoa-Tutu urged the national executives to consider his proposal for setting up a special party development tariff to be paid by the Presidency, Ministers of State and Parliamentarians to strengthen the party machinery for Election 2012.

He explained that the mobilisation of funds, strengthening of the party structures and empowerment of all party functionaries and organs from the ward through to the constituencies and national levels must be pursued with all urgency.

"There should be National Development Fund and Regional Development Fund - contributions from the Presidency, Ministers of State, their Deputies and Ambassadors should be channelled into the national fund. "Contributions from political office holders, MPs, DCEs, MCEs and Government appointees would be channelled directly into the regional fund. The region would retain 30 per cent and disburse the remaining 70 per cent among the constituencies within the region." Dr Asamoa-Tutu reminded all functionaries that whatever governmental position they occupied, "you are there on the strength of the party. Therefore as you climb up, the structures must be supported to build a solid operational system."