Koforidua, Oct. 12, GNA - Mr Anthony Gyampoh, Eastern Regional Secretary of National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday announced that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party had extended the mandate of all office holders from polling station executive to the national executive to 2009.

Mr Gyampoh said the decision was to allow the leadership of the party at various levels to remain focused on the 2008 elections. He was speaking at a meeting of regional and constituency executives of the party in Koforidua.

Mr Gyampoh said the party had opened nominations for parliamentary candidates only in its "orphan" constituencies and not in areas where the party had sitting Members of Parliament.

He therefore advised constituency executives of the party not to encourage any campaign for parliamentary candidates in constituencies where the party had not opened nominations to enable the sitting MPs to concentrate on their work.

Mr Gyampoh called on party functionaries and sympathizers to work hard and ensure that the party won the 2008 elections. He advised polling station executives to nominate strong, literate and committed members of the party who would not compromise the interest of the party for any reward to be trained as polling station agents. Mr Gyampoh called on members of the party in the region to work hard and ensure that the party increased its parliamentary seats from six to 18 during the 2008 elections.