Mr Bernard Allotey Jacobs, Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said the party was poised to win all 26 constituencies in the Region in the 2016 general elections and would leave no stone unturned to achieve that.
He disclosed that as part of plans to achieve this vision, it was hunting for all experienced politicians in the party to be what he described as “commanders” in 2016 stressing that “politics is by experience”.
Speaking at the inauguration of eight branch committees in Cape Coast, Mr. Jacobs said such experienced politicians included former executive members who lost their positions at the party’s primaries and others whom for some reasons had not been active.
He said the branch did not see such persons as losers but comrades whose skills would be utilized so long as they shared in the vision of attaining victory.
Mr. Jacobs said the current erratic power supply popularly called “Dumsor”, could not be used as a yardstick to measure the success of the NDC government because the condition had existed since independence and reiterated Government’s commitment to fix the crisis.
He said instead, people of the Region should consider the numerous developmental projects ongoing in the Region such as the Kotokuraba Market, Komenda Sugar Factory and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium and vote massively to retain the Party in government.
He praised Dr. Samuel Sarpong, former Ashanti Regional Minister, for promoting unity in the party in the Region during his tenure, adding that “If the Ashanti Region doesn’t like him, we do”.
The Committees, made up of a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 35 depending on its responsibilities, included the Political Committee Chaired by Ebenezer Kodwo Teye Addo, former Central Regional Minister, and Communication Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Spio Garbrah.
Others are the Constitutional and Legal Committee chaired by Mr. Gustav Addington, a legal practitioner, Women’s Working Wing Committee headed by Mrs. Faustina Nelson and the Organisation Committee headed by Samuel Graham Wilberforce, a building contractor.
The Rest are Research Committee Chaired by Dr. Kofi Nyarko, Head of Geography Department of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Finance Committee headed by Mr. Ernest Nana Kwasie, a businessman and Youth Working Wing Committee presided by Dr. Awuah Nyamekye, Senior Lecturer at UCC.
In December last year, the branch inaugurated the Conflict Resolution and Disciplinary Committees under the chairmanship of Dr. Joseph Nuertey, and Mr. Ebenezer Kojo Teye Addo respectively.
For his part, Dr. Samuel Sarpong who is a member of the Communication Committee said the invitation to join the regional committee was a manifestation of the Biblical saying that “a prophet is not accepted in his own town”.
He urged members of the Committee to work diligently to win 90 percent of votes in the Central Region and also urged other regional branches to take a cue from the branch and bring together all its experienced members.
The Regional Minister, Mr. Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, indicated that 2016 would be a crucial year and therefore charged the various committees to ensure that they do not lose any of the 16 constituencies the party already had, but increase the number.
He called on all members who contested in the elections but lost to unite and involve themselves actively in all party activities since politics was not a “do or die affair”.
He admonished the elders of the party not to take sides in party disputes but exhibit extreme leadership qualities and advised the youth to give the elderly the needed respect.
Mr Addington on behalf of all the committees expressed gratitude to the Party for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to work assiduously to achieve its vision.