Politics of Tuesday, 26 September 2006

Source: GNA

Odeneho Appiah and five others removed from office

Kodie (Ash), Sept. 26, GNA -- Forty-five out of the 65 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Polling Station chairmen in the Kwabre West constituency have re-affirmed their decision to remove Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, constituency chairman and five other executives from office to pave way for peace, unity and progress in the constituency.

The other affected executives are Mr Alex Boakye-Dankwa, secretary, Elijah Owusu-Afriyie, assistant secretary, Joseph Boakye-Danquah, treasurer, Patrick Frimpong, youth organiser, who is also under indefinite suspension and Miss Hanna Appiah, women's organiser also under indefinite suspension.

Briefing reporters on the issues at Kodie in the Kwabre district of Ashanti at the weekend, Mr Joseph Asamoah, Chairman of the group, called for fresh elections for new executives to steer the affairs of the Party in the constituency, saying the remaining executives cannot undertake the onerous task of the new constituency.

He said they had issued an order to the Station Officer at the Kodie Police Station to see to it that the party office remained closed until such a time that the Ashanti regional executives conduct fresh elections for new executives.

Mr Asamoah said they were compelled to take such a decision because the regional executives failed to address the charges they levelled against the six people with the seriousness it deserved. He said they acted according to the Party's constitution and their constitutional rights following the inability of the regional executive to help them resolve the problem.

The polling station chairmen accused the affected executives of incompetence, shady acts and unconstitutional behaviour, which they held, were killing the zeal and enthusiasm of the party members and supporters in the constituency.

They blamed Odeneho Appiah for 'self-aggrandisement' and alleged disparaging remarks about some of the distinguished party members during his visits to some of the communities, thus creating disunity among the rank and file of the party.

When contacted, Mr Sam Cudjoe, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NPP, said the chairmen have acted unconstitutionally because they did not follow the due process of the law.

He said the regional executive were aware of the problems and were taking steps to resolve it and did not understand why they had taken this step without informing them.