Amafro(E/R),Oct.21, GNA - Members of the Okere Constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) on Thursday elected Mr George Larbi, as the new Chairman at a Constituency conference held at Amafro, near Adukrom-Akuapem.

He polled 32 votes to defeat Mr Ben Mensah who had 20 votes and Mr Douglas Adjei who had eight votes.

Other executives elected were, Mr Joshua Adjei, Secretary, Mr Godwin Amaworkunu, Treasurer, Mr Ebenezer Ansah-Appiah, Propaganda Secretary, Mr Eric Sekyi Agyekum, Youth Organiser and Ms Esther Agyeibea, Women's Organiser.

Mr Anthony Gyampoh, Eastern Regional Secretary of the party, advised the new executives to work hard to strengthen the party structures and put the party in a position ready to take over power after the 2008 elections.

He warned that if the executives failed to play the role expected of them, then they would be enhancing the continuous governance of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

"The NPP is a government whose economic policies are likely to place the wealth of the country in the hands of very few people while the rest of the population remain as workers and servants of the rich," He added.

Mr Gyampoh said due to the bad management of the economy, the Government was over taxing petroleum products to the detriment of small-scale industries and the poor in society.

He explained that taxation was also a way of redistribution of wealth but under the NPP Government, the poor was being made indirectly to pay for the high petroleum tax in addition to the high cost of fuel consumed by the Government paid by the tax payer.

Mr Ben Mensah, out-going Vice-Chairman, advised the electorate to let what happened in the party during the campaign towards the 2004 elections guide them in deciding who should lead the party to the 2008 elections.

Mr Douglas Adjei, Secretary, in his report, said during the campaign for the 2004 elections, the party faced a lot of financial difficulties but managed to get over 7,000 votes.

He commended those who contributed for the party to participate in the elections.