ODENEHO KWAKU Appiah, a leading contender for the Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman position, has quickly removed all his campaign banners, billboards and posters in Kumasi.
His action is in compliance with a firm directive of the ruling political party leadership that campaign posters, banners and billboards of party aspirants should be removed from Kumasi by midnight of Wednesday.
According to reliable information reaching the DAILY GUIDE, other party members who have also mounted their billboards, banners and posters in the Greater Kumasi area ahead of the event, have also started removing them.
Campaign Billboards
The Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi, to be specific, the Heroes Park, near the Baba Yara Stadium, would be hosting this year’s annual National Delegates Conference, which is scheduled to take place this weekend.
Ahead of the big party programme, the various party members who are contesting for party positions have mounted campaign billboards, posters and banners to attract more votes from party delegates.
The mounting of giant campaign posters, billboards and banners in major streets ahead of important party programmes has been in existence for many years, as it contributes towards hyping such programme.
However, the party leadership has, this time around, said the party campaign billboards have the potential of igniting division and tension in the ruling political party, a point several party members disapprove.
Minister’s Deadline
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, confirmed that the party’s Steering Committee banned billboards and posters in the city during the upcoming NPP National Delegates Conference.
In his regard, he said in a press release that as the Regional Minister, the party has given him the responsibility to remove all the billboards from the city and said he was going to carry out the order without delay.
“The Party’s Steering Committee has decided that no billboards, banners, posters etc of various NPP aspirants are allowed within the Ashanti Region, especially Greater Kumasi, during the National Delegates Conference. The Ashanti Regional Minister has been given the responsibility to remove all these billboards,” the statement indicated.
The statement added that “Consequently, I am requesting anyone who has mounted or pasted any of such items within the Region to remove them latest by 12 midnight tomorrow, Wednesday, 15th December, 2021. Failure to obey this directive by the end of the deadline, the Regional Minister will have no other option but to ensure removal of all such items. MMDCEs are also directed to remove all such items after the deadline.”
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi