The NPP Minnesota Chapter in the USA has organised a picnic to rally enthusiasm, forge unity and to seek innovative ideas and directions to make the chapter stronger and a leading voice in the diaspora.

The picnic was themed “Membership Drive Picnic” and took place on Sunday July 29th at the Cliff Fen Park in Burnsville, Minnesota. Despite the initial downpour, participants made their way to the venue in record numbers to be part of the membership drive and the fun that came with it.

Chairman of the chapter, Mr. J.B Danquah entreated the members to stay behind the appointed executives to innovate, create and build a strong chapter that will provide laudable ideas to move the New Patriotic Party forward and ensure that policies of the NPP government are delivered to bring the needed reliefs to the Ghanaian people.

He also threw light on the passing of the ROPAL bill into law which will ensure that Ghanaians living in the diaspora will have the opportunity to be part of the national electioneering process in Ghana. This he said will consolidate our gains as a democratic country and further make democracy and governance in Ghana more inclusive.

He further spoke about plans to compile a comprehensive data of Ghanaians in Minnesota, particularly those with specialised skills and the requisite education that would be needed to transform the country.

Despite the many interventions the current NPP government led by H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are rolling out for the Ghanaian people, quite a number of participants at the picnic expressed misgivings in certain areas that they believe need to be critically assessed.

During the Q&A session, Mr. Asiedu Mante, a leading voice in the Ghanaian Community in Minnesota and a patron of the chapter, decried the deplorable sanitation situation in the capital city of Accra and several parts of the country even though we boast of a Minister in charge of sanitation. Other members also spoke fervently about other situations that do not sit well for the well-being of the Ghanaian people.

There were calls for measures to normalize the hike in charges at the port, perceived corruptions in certain areas, the attitudes of workers at the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC and the abysmal attitude of some of the government appointees in Ghana.

Mr. Daniel Ofori-som, a patron of NPP Minnesota Chapter, assured members that the chapter will not be one that will rubber-stamp anything thrown our way but rather stay focused in its mandate to suggest viable directions for the party and the government.