Politics of Monday, 25 December 2023

Source: GNA

Aspirant files nomination despite 'expulsion' from NPP

Alois Kog Kyaakpier Alois Kog Kyaakpier

Alois Kog Kyaakpier Mohl, a parliamentary candidate (PC) aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Nandom Constituency, says he has successfully filed nomination to contest in the NPP parliamentary primaries in the constituency despite his “expulsion” from the party.

He indicated that he filed the nomination on Friday, December 22, 2023, at the party’s Headquarters in Accra where the National Treasurer of the NPP, Dr. Charles Dwamena, received the duly completed nomination forms.

Mohl, a Social Development Consultant, said filling of the nomination included the banker’s drafts of all relevant fees – GH¢3000.00 for the nomination forms, GH¢35,000.00 filing fees and GH¢40,000.00 development fees for a non-MP contesting a sitting MP, totaling GH¢78,000.00.

The PC aspirant said this in Wa at the weekend when he addressed the media regarding a letter signed by Mr Wuoyang Martin, the Nandom Constituency Secretary of the NPP, announcing the forfeiture of the party membership Mhol.

The letter dated 14th December 2023, alleged that Mhol incessantly campaigned against the NPP parliamentary candidate in the 2012, 2016 and 2020 general elections contrary to the provisions of the party constitution.

“…the leadership of the New Patriotic Party in Nandom would wish to officially write to reiterate your forfeiture of membership of the party, which has been precipitated by your incessant campaign against the Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party Hon. Ambrose Dery in 2012, 2016 and 2020, respectively”, portions of the letter read.

Mohl indicated that following that letter, which he received on 17th December 2023 via WhatsApp, he was denied a nomination form at the constituency level.

He said, at the regional level he was told that all the 15 forms received from the party Headquarters had been distributed to the three constituencies in the region with sitting MPs at the instance of the party’s regional chairman.

He said he, thus, had to access the nomination form from the online portal and submit the completed form to the party Headquarters as directed by the party.

Mohl said as a formidable member who had served in various positions of the party from the constituency, regional and national levels including the national disciplinary committee of the party, his conduct and utterances must be seen projecting the interest, unity and growth of the party.

“The letter written by my constituency secretary was not only in bad faith but was inviting me to go down the same lane with him or the constituency executives to cause disaffection in the party and the New Patriotic Party, and I not ready to go that lane”, he explained.

He also described the actions of the constituency secretary as a disregard for the party structures since one’s forfeiture of the party membership could only be announced at the Headquarters based on evidence-based reports and recommendations against him or her from the constituency executive through the regional executives.

The PC aspirant also cited some provisions of the party constitution, which he thought the constituency executives could not satisfy to expel him from the party including giving him a fair hearing on the allegations leveled against him.

He said the constituency secretary failed to provide evidence to the allegations of campaigning against the party’s sponsored PC in the constituency levelled against him as provided by Article 3 (9) of the party constitution.

Mohl, a former Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Social Investment Fund (SIF), said this in a statement, copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa.

He had over three decades of experience in public service, and in various positions including a Deputy Director and Head of Desk of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Manpower Development from 2011 to 2013.

He also served as the Deputy Director and National Coordinator of Care Reforms of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection from 2013 to 2015.

He was the Head of the Desk of International Social Services (ISS) of the Department of Social Welfare at the Headquarters from 2002 to 2011.

Mohl had served in various capacities within the NPP including a member of the Upper West Regional Campaign Team of the NPP’s Presidential candidate for the 2020 general election.

He was also the Second Vice Chairman for the Lawra-Nandom Constituency from 2005-2010, and from 2010 to 2014, he served as the Chairman of the Upper West Regional Disciplinary Committee and a member of the National ICT Committee that introduced the NPP’s first plastic biometric membership cards.