The acting General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has charged the newly-elected executives of the party at the branch and constituency levels to work diligently to secure victory in the 2020 elections.

Addressing the press at the party's headquarters on Thursday, 15 March 2018, Mr John Boadu described the internal elections as successful but was quick to add that there were some pending minor issues that needed to be addressed.

“The party wishes to use this opportunity to once again congratulate all the elected/appointed executives and remind them of their primary mandate of ensuring that they work assiduously to deliver victory 2020 and beyond for the party especially in their respective constituencies,” Mr Boadu said.

He also said that the guidelines for the upcoming regional and national internal elections indicate that all qualified prospective applicants are allowed to purchase forms to contest their desired positions, adding that: “No prospective applicant will be denied purchase of application forms”.

He appealed to the aspirants and their supporters to abide by the rules and guidelines for the primaries and conduct themselves in a mature manner in order to have an incident-free election.

“Let us remain united for the core [objectives] of the party and government at all times so that we can continue to deliver the needed prosperity to the Ghanaian people,” he added.




Below is the full statement:

PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY JOHN BOADU, THE ACTING GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE NPP ON THE PARTY’S UPCOMING REGIONAL DELEGATES CONFERENCES

Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the Press

The essence of this press conference is to spell out the guidelines for the conduct of the party’s forthcoming regional annual delegates conferences to among other things elect regional executives to steer the affairs of the party in the various regions for the next four years. These regional conferences are being held in pursuance to Article 9(26) of the party constitution.

OVERVIEW OF THE CONSTITUENCY ANNUAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE

In doing so however, we wish to first of all, acknowledge the maturity with which members of our great party and all stakeholders approached the conduct of the just ended constituency annual delegates’ conferences which were held from February 24, to 27, 2018. The constituency conferences, as all would attest to, were largely successful. Indeed, as we speak, some 94% of the constituencies in the country have been able to successfully conduct this exercise and elected constituency executives. We are left with 14 constituencies out of the 275.

It is however gratifying to say that the party has made significant strides at resolving the issues in the remaining 5%. By way of regional breakdown, there are 4 of such constituencies in the Greater Accra region comprising Ablekuma North, Ablekuma South, Adenta and Okakoi South. Aside Okakoi South which is still outstanding, we have been able to resolve the issues in the 3 constituencies and same have been taken out of court. In the northern region, we have six outstanding constituencies comprising Bimbilla, Daboya, Karaga, Nalerigu, Nyonyo and Tatale. Aside Bimbilla and Daboya where there are security issues, the other 4 are being resolved.

In the Western region, we have been able to resolve the issues in the 4 constituencies comprising Shama, Kwesi Mintin and Sekondi with the exception of Elembelle. The party has ordered for fresh polling station elections in the 3 constituencies which have started in earnest. Finally, in the Central Region we still have 3 outstanding constituencies comprising Cape Coast South, Ajumako Enyam and Awutu Senya West. The national steering committee, at its last meeting, constituted a 3-member committee comprising Sammy Awuku (the chairman of the committee), Evans Nimako and Bob Agbontor to look at the issues in all the outstanding constituencies across the country and advise accordingly.

The party wishes to use this opportunity to once again congratulate all the elected/appointed executives and remind them of their primary mandate of ensuring that they work assiduously to deliver VICTORY 2020 and beyond for the party especially in their respective constituencies. I also wish to place on record that party has instructed all the regional executive committees to furnish the national secretariat with the list of all elected and appointed constituency not later than the 31st of March, 2018.

REGIONAL ANNUAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE

As stipulated in Article 9(26) of the party constitution, in every year, at least four weeks prior to the National Annual Delegates Conference, there shall be a regional annual delegates conference which shall be attended by the following delegates:
a. Members of the Regional Executive Committee
b. Members of Parliament in the region
c. Members of the Constituency Executive Committee in the Region
d. Regional Representatives on the National Council
e. One TESCON member from each of the recognized tertiary institutions in the Region
f. Ten patrons in the region
g. All founding members from the region who are signatories to the registration document of the party at the electoral commission
Also, Article 9(27) states that the presence of at least one-third (1/3) of the delegates to the Regional Delegates Conference shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the conference.
The GUIDELINES for the conduct of the 2018 Regional elections provide as follows:
1. There shall be constituted, a Regional Elections Committee (REC) which shall assist the EC to conduct the elections of the regional executives at a scheduled date (between 21st to 24th April, 2018) and at a venue as the REC may determine.

2. The Regional Elections Committee (REC) shall be constituted as follows:

a. Two National Representatives, appointed by the National Steering Committee, one of whom shall be appointed as chairman
b. One Representative appointed by the Regional Council of Elders

3. Composition of the Regional Elections Committee in all ten regions:



ASHANTI REGION:
1 F.F. Anto (National 1st Vice - Chairman)
2 Hon Sameul Osei Mensah (Secretary)
3 Dr. Nana Kwakye Marfo (Member)

CENTRAL REGION:
1 Hon. Kojo Asomani (MP Gomoa West- Chairman)
2 Hon K.K Essumany (MCE Mfantsiman- Secretary)
3 Hon. Aba Hagan (DCE AAK- Member)

EASTERN REGION:
1 Abankwa Yebaoh (Chairman)
2 Hakman Owusu Agyeman

UPPER WEST REGION:
1 Nuhu Mahama (Chairman)
2 Alhaji Abdul Haqi Mohammed (Secretary)
3 Aloy Mole (Member)

BRONG AHAFO REGION:
1 Mr. Adu Gyan (Chairman)
2 Prince Doyena (Secretary)
3 Mr. G.K. Awuah (Member)

GREATER ACCRA REGION
1 Hon. Adu Mantey (Chairman)
2 Nii Aryitey Boafo (Secretary)
3 R.O Solomon

WESTERN REGION:
1 Hajia Saudatu Saed (Chairperson)
2 Hon. Kwesi Nkrumah (Secretary)
3 Dr. Isaac Segoh

NORTHERN REGION:
1 Abdulai Kamal-Deen (Chairman)
2 Dr. Clifford Braimah (Secretary)
3 Alhaji Mumuni Musah Neeman

VOLTA REGION:
1 Bob Charles Agbontoh (Chairman)
2 Ken Ayim (Secretary)
3 Mrs. Agnes Okudzeto

UPPER EAST REGION:
1 Joseph Akazusi (Chairman)
2 Thomas Duanab (Secretary)
3 Abdul Rahman Gumah (Member)

4. The REC shall be responsible for the vetting of all prospective candidates

5. Nominations shall be open from Monday, 20th to Friday 24th March, 2018

6. Vetting shall be held from 27th to 29th March, 2018

7. Vetting results shall be released not later than 31st March, 2018.

8. A member of the Regional Elections Committee shall not be eligible to contest for any position in the Regional primaries.

9. A prospective candidate must be an active and known member of the party of good standing for at least two years.

10. Constituency/Electoral Area/Polling Station Officers who wish to contest in the Regional elections shall resign or vacate their respective positions before filing their nominations.

11. Applicants who wish to contest in the Regional Executive Elections shall pay to the chairperson of the Regional Elections Committee, a non-refundable nomination fee of one thousand Ghana cedis (GHC 1,000) for the chairperson position and five hundred Ghana cedis (GHC 500) for the other positions.

12. Only prospective aspirants are entitled to purchase Application Forms from the Regional Elections Committee.

13. No prospective aspirant shall be denied access to procure Application Form.

14. If for any reason, an applicant is unable to procure an Application Form from the REC, he/she may petition the General Secretary, for an endorsed Application Form at the National Secretariat

15. An aspirant for any of the Regional Executive Elections shall be nominated by one (1) registered member and seconded by ten 10) registered members of the party who are known, active and reside in 10 constituencies across the region, all of whom shall be members in good standing.

16. Three passport sized photographs shall accompany each Application Form.

17. The Constituency Albums in the Region shall be used as the Register for the conduct of the elections.

18. The delegates to the conference shall vote with their party ID cards; but where same is unavailable, National Voters' ID cards may be admitted by the REC for the purpose of voting.

19. The REC shall, at the close of polls; paste photographs of all elected Regional executives on prescribe Form and hand it over to the Regional secretariat for compilation of the Constituency Album.

20. The positions to be contested for are;

i. Regional Chairperson
ii. Regional 1st Vice Chairperson
iii. Regional 2nd Vice Chairperson
iv. Regional Secretary
v. Regional Assistant Secretary
vi. Regional Treasurer
vii. Regional Organiser
viii. Regional Women Organiser
ix. Regional Youth Organiser
x. Regional Nasara Coordinator

CONCLUSION

The party wishes to once again, make a passionate appeal to all stakeholders especially the would-be candidates for the various positions in the upcoming primaries and their supporters to respect the rules of engagement and conduct this exercise with the necessary maturity so that we would have incidence-free primaries. We wish all the aspiring candidates the best of luck in the elections. Let us remain united and committed to the call of our party and government at all times so that we can continue to deliver the needed prosperity to the Ghanaian people. Once again, let it be said that the NPP came out of the 2018 primaries as a much stronger party.

Thank you.