General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has disclosed that the party is putting things together to have their primaries organized within the next three weeks.

According to him, the National Executive Committee of the party will meet as soon as possible to have a date scheduled for the primaries.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that the party is far behind with its primaries due to the restrictions imposed by the President due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"...But now that the restrictions have been eased by the President, we have to immediately have the primaries organized before the commencement of the compilation of the voters’ register," he said.

We are also going to have training workshops for our constituency and polling station executives as the EC prepares to conduct its registration exercise.

He added that an official date for the primaries will be announced soon.

Suspension of primaries

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) suspended its parliamentary primaries which were originally scheduled for April 25, 2020, to elect parliamentary candidates in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament ahead of the 2020 General Elections.

The decision to suspend the primaries was taken at a National Steering Committee meeting held on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, due to the ban on social gatherings as part of national efforts towards the containment of the Covid-19 epidemic.

“The National Steering Committee, by reason of Article 10(10)(1) of the party’s constitution, is the body responsible for overseeing the daily management of the party, and thus, mandated to ‘act on behalf of the party on urgent matters’ such as in the circumstances we find ourselves as a party and nation owing to the Covid-19 pandemic,” this was contained in release by the party’s General Secretary, John Boadu.

Easing restrictions

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday 31st June 2020 announced the lifting of the ban imposed on in-person religious services and other public gatherings, as part of staggered measures to restore socio-economic life amid living with Covid-19.

However, congregants are supposed to wear face masks and observe a mandatory one-meter social distancing rule, and with a maximum of 100 people in any given space.

Services are not supposed to exceed one hour, while congregants are also required to strictly comply with hygiene protocols to ensure the safety of all.

Additionally, private burials, conferences, workshops, weddings, political activities, except rallies, can also be organized but also with a maximum of 100 persons.

In his 10th national broadcast on measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 on Sunday night, President Akufo-Addo, therefore, said effective Friday, June 5, Muslims could worship at the mosques, while Adventists followed suit on Saturday, June 6, with Christians who held services on Sundays, following on June 7.

The religious institutions are required to keep a register of names and contact details of all worshippers, amid frequent hand washing and the use of sanitizers.