ONE OF the presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Hon. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing has reaffirmed his loyalty and commitment to the party by donating a personal property worth millions of cedis to the party to be used as NPP Club House.

According to the Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben North in the Eastern region, he had been agonizing over the absence of a place for party members, executives, Ministers and District Chief executives to meet and interact on issues affecting the party.

In a letter dated March 23, this year copied to President John Agyekum Kufuor, Mr. Peter Mac-Manu, the National Chairman of the party and Nana Ohene-Ntow, the party’s General secretary, Mr.Owusu-Agyemang, noted, “For sometime now, I have been concerned at the low level of interaction between ministers, parliamentarians, party executives/officials etc. The level of interaction between the party, ministers, Members of Parliament, senior party executives, etc seems to be virtually non-existent, in other words, the level of esprit de corps amongst us is very low and needs to be consciously nurtured.”

The Minister, who is noted for his contributions towards the progress of the NPP since its opposition days, said the party needed to create a mechanism where members could socialize and discuss matters of concern to both party and the state, adding that in his opinion, one of the means by which party officials, MPs and Ministers can interact more frequently and informally was for the party to acquire a club house.

In his letter under the caption, “NPP CLUB HOUSE”, the presidential aspirant said the acquisition of a club house will “offer us the opportunity to meet in an informal ambience to discuss matters of interest to the party and the country as a whole.”

Mr. Owusu-Agyemang, a former national treasurer of the NPP and Chairman of finance and fund raising committee of the party, said the club house will make provision for private rooms where confidential meetings could take place as well as the usual facilities of a Club House including a bar, outside lawn and balconies.

The multi-million cedi property being donated by the 65 year old politician/businessman is located opposite the head office of the Electoral Commission.

“It is my fervent hope that all senior party members, Ministers and NPP parliamentarians will patronize the Club House in order to increase the tempo of interaction and promote a strong bond of friendship and camaraderie among ourselves,” the New Juaben North MP said.

The General Secretary of the party, Nana Ohene-Ntow, confirmed to this paper that indeed the party had received the donation and had subsequently acknowledged the gesture.

According to him, the provision of the facility, which will facilitate interactions between party members, was laudable and appealed to others to emulate Hackman’s example in the interest of the party.

Asked about other things that others could do, Nana Ohene-Ntow said the party needed a lot of logistics, such as vehicles, funds and other materials to keep it moving.

“I think that it is a good gesture. In fact if we have a place of that nature to interact among ourselves, I believe it would help us to possibly reduce divisive tendencies and other acrimonies in the party,” he told this paper in a chat yesterday.

Admitting that the seeming tension in the party was due to lack of interaction, Nana Ntow, noted the donation by the MP would help to further develop the party.

John Kwame Boadu, the national youth organizer of the party also commended the Minister for his generosity and

commitment to the party.

This paper has learnt that the Minister had initially given the donated property to one of the leading private companies in the country at a rental fee of US$300 a month, but retrieved it from the company for purposes of donating it to the party. When this paper visited the place yesterday, workers were seen busily putting finishing touches to renovation works for it to be inaugurated soon.

In a related development, potential delegates in Ashanti region have rooted for the Minister and stated that he would be a worthy successor to President Kufuor.

This was when the Minister toured seven constituencies in the Region over the weekend to interact with the delegates.

The constituencies that the minister toured were New Edubiase, Adansi Asokwa, Fomena, Atwima Kwanwoma, Offinso-North, Offinso-South and Afigya Sekyere West.

According to our information, the Minister’s speech at all the constituencies was centred on party unity and his contribution to the party. His Special Assistant, Mr. Mustapha Cisse in a chat yesterday, confirmed it to this paper.

On the question of his age, the Minister reportedly confirmed that he is yet to be 66 and not 67 as was being speculated, pointing out that he was born November 22, 1941.