…Can’t sustain full Blown Campaign

Minority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has finally opened up on the financial standing of the New Patriotic Party, conceding that the biggest opposition party is cash trapped ahead of the November elections.

The Suame Member of Parliament said, having lost two elections on a row `it was obvious the NPP may face extreme challenges with funding, but was quick to add that they are not doing bad albeit the fact that “circumstances are not the best”.

He recently told Bola Ray on Starr Chat that “apart from the ruling party-NDC, I’m not too sure any other political party has what it takes to sustain itself for a full blown electioneering campaign,”

The Minority leader also confirmed reports that financiers of the party have folded their arms, adopting a wait-and-see attitude while the party struggles in search of funds to finance its activities ahead of the elections.

“…Donor fatigue will set in,” he noted, but added that the NPP will have to portray a sense of collectiveness and unity to forge ahead.

Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu’s comment on the financial predicament of the party reaffirmed the NPP’s acting National Chairman’s statement that the biggest opposition party is indeed, not financially sound.

Responding to a direct question by Class News’ Paa Kwesi Parker-Wilson on whether the party was broke, Mr Freddy Blay said: “…We are not in crises but definitely we will need more funds and resources to undertake certain projects. This is an election year and we are not very wealthy”.

“Mind you, we are dealing with an incumbent government which has limitless resources and access to money and we need to have some resources ourselves,” he further noted.

As part of campaign activities in the run-up to the November 7 polls, the party has launched fundraising programs to support the presidential bid of Nana Akufo-Addo to unseat President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress.

“No amount is too small. If 1000 people donate one cedi every day till Election Day, the campaign will raise in excess of GH¢200,000, a sum of money that will significantly support our efforts to ensure we get rid of the Mahama government, God willing, on November 7. And, I assure you, the money you contribute will be used for its true purpose,” Nana Akufo-Addo assured the party’s supporters at the launch of the programme.

However, sources in the NPP have disclosed to The aL-hAJJ that owing to reported cases of dissipation of party funds by some executives of the NPP coupled with the slim chances of Nana Akufo-Addo winning the November polls, financiers whom the party could have depended on, have been forced to turned into onlookers.

Long before Nana Akufo-Addo won the NPP’s 2016 flag bearer slot, The aL-hAJJ reported that some known financiers of the party have threatened that if Nana Akufo-Addo is reelected to lead the party for the third time, they will not waste their time investing a penny in party’s activities.

Top of the reasons why the party’s bankrollers were reported no longer interested in channeling monies to the party was because of the two wasted opportunities by Nana Akufo-Addo. They say after spending huge sums of money on his two campaigns Mr. Akufo Addo failed to win them power.