... resolves to march on to victory in 2008.

The first ever NPP International Conference ended in London on Saturday 17th March with a resolution by all the international branches to march on in support of the mother party to victory in 2008. The conference which had as its theme “Building on the successes of the NPP Government and positioning the NPP as the natural party for government in Ghana” drew on the New Patriotic Party’s contribution towards national development over the medium to long term, and their overriding objective to build a free, just and prosperous society that will be a true beacon for Africa.

The Conference was attended by delegates from Ghana, USA, France, Italy, Germany and the UK and was addressed by His Excellence J A Kufuor, the President. He emphasized on the historical significance of the conference as the first of its kind and commended the international branches for not only conceiving the idea but also bringing it into fruition. He counseled the delegates about the choice of the party’s 2008 flagbearer and said that political experience and the ability to hold together the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should be the guiding principles.

He said, whoever emerged winner in the race to lead the party to the elections should not only be a uniting force to the party but must have the ability to carry along with him majority of Ghanaian voters. "It is therefore important that even as we exercise our emotion, we should balance it with good judgment and common sense."

The conference which was attended by the National Executive Committee and chaired by the national chairman, Mr. Peter Macmanu came out with a communiqué which wished Ghana and all the people of Ghana a joyful jubilee year and many happy and prosperous years to come and also noted and commended the government for the many achievements realized in the economy and in the area of good governance over the last 6 years. It called for and agreed to the establishment of a coordinating committee of all overseas branches as well as called for communication links to be established by the HQ by setting up an international desk to be funded with the help of all international branches. The conference again called on the national party to lead in finding effective means of working with the overseas branches through the coordinating committee in the area of generating ideas and resources for the mother party by March 2008. It made a special appeal to the government/parliament to review the dual citizenship Act to allow for true inclusion of all Ghanaians, home and abroad. In the meantime however all the international branches resolved to hold themselves in readiness for the time the Electoral Commission will put in the modalities for ROPAA to become effective. The communiqué finally called for the establishment of a ministry to deal with the affairs of Ghanaians living abroad since they contribute so much towards the national economy.

The conference which started on Friday the 16th and ended on Saturday, 17th March was interspersed with a fund raising dinner dance on the Friday and ended with a mammoth rally at the Broadwater Farm Community Centre in Tottenham.

The Conference was attended by a high-powered delegation from branches of NPP all over the world. The delegates from Ghana were led by the National Party Chairman Mac Manu and the General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow. Other delegates from Ghana included the £rd Vice Chairman, Alhaji Musah, the National Women’s Organiser Ms. Rita Asobayire, Mr. John Boadu the National Youth Organiser, regional and constituency party leaders like Sammy Crabbe, Greater Accra Chairman, Kenwuud Nuworsu, Volta Regional Chairman and many more. Delegates from Ghana alone were in excess of 25. The USA party was headed by Kofi Boateng, chairman of NPP USA and which also included Nana Owusu Ansah of the Chicago Chapter. Delegates from France included Nuamah Ansa and Louisa Nti-Berkoh. Italy was represented by Wilbeck Morris while the eleven-strong delegation from Germany was led by Dwamena Yeboah of the Hamburg branch.

The line-up of special guest speakers included the following: Hon Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo MP and Minster for Foreign Affairs on “Ghana role in the AU, challenges for the future”; Hon Joe Ghartey MP and Attorney General on “Responsive, responsible and good governance”, Hon Dr Akoto Osei MP and Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning on “Strategies for achieving the MIE status in Ghana by 2015”; Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu MP and Chief Whip on “The role of the parliamentary party in Ghana’s democratic efforts”; Peter Mac Manu on “Building a strong and effective party for government”

Mr. Kofi Boateng, alias Kofi ROPAA, NPP-USA Chairman made a very powerful contribution on “Ghana’s Diaspora, a case of contested engagement” in which he threw up many challenges for the government and the party in its efforts to deal with the efforts form Ghanaians in the Diaspora. Welcoming delegates to Conference, Mr. Atta-Krufi, Chairman of NPP UK, the host branch thanked the delegates for attending and thanked the planning committee led by Matthew Kyeremeh for all the hard work. He advised delegates to use this conference to resolve and know that each one of them holds the strand of the destiny of Ghana which has been entrusted to the NPP government. He said “our country, Ghana, does not belong to us the present generation but has been lent to us by our children and their children to look after on their behalf. Being a member of the NPP, the natural party to govern and redeem Ghana, history will not be kind to us if we do not double our effort to secure Ghana on a sound economic, social and political footing on behalf of posterity”.

There were many other contributions from the other delegates from the many countries that participated in the conference.