Dr. J. A. Amoateng was elected the first Ashanti Regional Vice-chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), at the party's Third Regional Conference in Kumasi.

Mr Abbass Salifu was elected second regional vice-chairman, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Johnson, regional youth organiser and Madam Shirley Collingwoode-Williams, the acting regional treasurer.

The positions became vacant as a result of the decision of the regional executive committee to dismiss the former officers, who flouted the directives of the Central Committee of the party to report and work at the Kejetia office of the party.

Addressing the delegates, Mr Osei Tutu Bonsu, the Ashanti regional chairman, said the conference was to evaluate the activities of the party since the 2000 elections and also elect members to fill the vacant positions in the regional steering committee of the party.

He observed that the current talks of Nkrumaists have delayed unduly and called on the parties to speed up negotiations in order to form one formidable party to enable them to organise effectively to meet the challenges of the 2004 elections.

The conference approved the formation of a special committee to revive the party branches in the universities and the higher institutions in the region. It also approved the formation of six sub-committees, party organisation, welfare, education, women affairs, youth affairs and finance. The conference also resolved to appoint electoral agents to ensure fairness in the current registration of voters in the constituencies.