Kumasi, Oct 13, GNA- Five members of some political parties have defected to the People's National Convention (PNC).

They are Madam Salamatu Mohammed from the Asokwa East CPP, Madam Amina Usman of the Asokwa East NDC, Mr James Okine and Mr Eric Bawa of Adansi-Asokwa NDC, Mr Alhassan Salifu of the Manhyia NDC.

They were introduced to Dr Edward Mahama, leader of the PNC and other executive members of the party during the Ashanti regional executive committee meeting in Kumasi last Saturday.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr Okine explained that they had come to realise that it was only the PNC, which can manage the economy satisfactorily given the opportunity.

Dr Mahama congratulated the new members for taking the bold decision and said their action and that of the others who defected in the Northern region demonstrated that they were people who were ready to stand up to the truth.

He, therefore, urged them to remain committed to the party's motto of 'service with honesty'.

Explaining the coalition with the GCPP to the delegates, Dr Mahama said a coalition did not mean merger but that each of the two parties still maintained its identity but will work on a common platform to unseat the NPP in the 2004 elections.

He said in accordance with the terms of the coalition, Mr Dan Lartey became the chairman of the grand coalition and that it had three members from each party.

Dr Mahama said parliamentary candidates of the coalition will be selected based on the strength of a party at the constituency level and urged the party activists to intensify their organisation for more members.

He announced that the party's national congress would take place at the University of Ghana, Legon, in November and that the party expects over 2,000 delegates to attend.

Dr Mahama, therefore, asked all members interested in positions to file their nomination papers since all the national positions would be contested for.

Defectors hail Dr Mahama in Tamale

Tamale, Oct. 13, GNA- Some supporters of the various political parties who defected to the People's National Convention (PNC) on Saturday mobbed Dr Edward Mahama, leader of the PNC in Tamale.

The PNC leader was in Tamale to attend a seminar on "Local Level Political Leadership and Democracy" organised by the party and funded by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for members of the party in Tamale.

Hajia Ajara Ali, Acting PNC National Women's organizer, told the defectors that times were gone when people played stomach politics saying, "The way you have built faith in PNC, let it reflect in 2004 by voting out the NPP government".

Dr Mahama said, 2004 would be a year of the death of the NPP and urged the youth to remain loyal with the party indicating that defecting to PNC with that great number was a beginning for other regions to follow suit.

He said it was pathetic that "the NPP came to inherit and wear the same shoes of the NDC, which Ghanaians detested and the only way to correct them just as they did in 2000 is to vote them out in 2004." He appealed to them to continue with the good works by trying to spread the crusade to the rural areas and let them know that the PNC was now the only alternative choice to the NPP. 13 Oct 03