General News of Monday, 16 September 2013

Source: XYZ

NPP executives have lost focus - Asamoah Boateng

A former Information Minister in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has chided executives of the NPP saying “they have lost focus”.

Speaking in an interview with XYZ Breakfast Show on Monday, the former Mfantseman West MP said the manner in which some party leaders have openly declared support for Nana Addo to contest the flagbearership slot of the NPP for the third time is completely out of order.

“I think that the way the party executives, some of them have started talking is out of order and I think they have lost focus.

“Immediately the court verdict came out, what we need to do was to quietly go back home, give the government some space…and rather go for changes that we need in the electoral system.

Some leaders of the NPP, including its General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu, Ashanti regional Chairman F.F Anto and a host of others have stated that Nana Addo must be allowed to lead the party for the third time ahead of the 2016 elections.

But Mr. Asamoah Boateng thinks that the NPP executives must focus on rebuilding of the party and ensure that they devise a strategy to rescue power from the ruling NDC party.

Mr. Asamoah Boateng also called on the leadership of the party to shun attacks on the Electoral Commission and rather work with them to ensure that the electoral systems are improved.

“Rather than bash the electoral commission, we don’t need to do that, we need to engage the electoral commission and engage all the political parties in refining and making sure that the personnel in the electoral commission, the systems are in place and what we can do to make it better”.

Mr. Asamoah Boateng also told host of XYZ Breakfast show that the ‘Thank You’ tour by his party’s 2012 flagbearer and running mate is needless.

Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia kick started their thank you tour at the weekend.

Dr. Bawumia has been tasked by the 2012 flagbearer to continue the tour as he takes a short break in the UK.

But Asamoah Boateng suspects that the two politicians and the party executives embarking on the tour have an ulterior motive.

He said that it is not fair to the rest of the party and suggests that focus must be put on strengthening the party’s structures.

The former Information Minister also suggested that former President John Kufuor takes charge of the party to restore calm and ensure things are done properly.