As the date for the New Patriotic Party, (NPP), primaries draw near, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industries, who is also a board member at the Ghana Exim Bank, Mr Ahomka Lindsay is allegedly using his position to lobby the board of Ghana Exim Bank to grant him a credit facility of GHC30 million to enable him establish a poultry farm to aid his bid of winning the upcoming primaries.

Sources within the camp of the incumbent Member of Parliament, (MP), for Komewu Sekyere constituency, Philip Baswa say Mr Ahomka Lindsay is using his position to influence the board to grant him the facility. “it’s quite fascinating that even the credit facility that he is requesting for, he has no collateral to back it, which makes it more dangerous”, the source said.

“We are not panic about his moves, we know our incumbent MP would win hands down but our major concern is that, how can you go in for a facility without collateral, it means you don’t have the intention of paying back, that is the issue”, the source said.

“In any case, why should you wait until election time before considering establishing a poultry farm for your people. He must know that the electorates are very discerning and must be reassured that such move would not influence their decision. They have already made up their mind”, the source said.

“The only advice we can give to the board is for them not to succumb to the pressure from his outfit. If he wants a facility, he should do the right thing as equally as everyone’, it said.

All efforts to reach the Deputy Minister prove futile. Meanwhile, the NPP party has scheduled 25th April this year for its presidential and parliamentary primaries.

The NPP has I69 sitting Members of Parliament out of the total 275 seats in Parliament.

The party has already elected more than 95 Parliamentary candidates who would be contesting on its ticket in orphan constituencies [areas the party does not have sitting MPs].

The same April 25, 2020 date would also be used to elect a flagbearer for the party for Election 2020.

Nomination fees for the aspiring MPs have been pegged at GH¢2000 and GH¢20,000 for filing fees whilst that of the presidential aspirants has been pegged at GH¢20,000 as nomination fee and GH¢200,000 as the filing fee.

The party had initially planned to organise the primaries on January 12, 2020, but some sitting MPs complained that the time was too short for them to be able to campaign.

Besides, they argued that it was also going to give an advantage to their opponents to be on the ground to campaign against them whilst Parliament would be in session between October and January 12 and they would be in Parliament.