The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has made arrangements to hold its National Annual Delegates’ Conference this weekend at the Koforidua Technical University.
Some 6,000 delegates are expected to converge on the Eastern regional capital to elect national officers to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
Forty-one aspirants, who are vying for national positions in the party, have been cleared by the Election Committee to contest for the various positions.
Alhaji Umar Bondinga, the Eastern Regional First Vice Chairman, who is a member of the Elections Committee, told DAILY GUIDE that the committee has successfully completed its work, adding that the venue and accommodation for the delegates are ready.
According to him, the necessary security measures had also been put in place.
Posters
DAILY GUIDE spotted a lot of banners and posters of the aspirants in the regional capital.
The posters and banners of Freddie Blay, who is vying for the National Chairmanship position, were seen at virtually every corner of the city.
Those of other aspirants had been placed at strategic positions in Koforidua.
Party’s Arrangements
The National Annual Delegates’ Conference is being held pursuant to Article 10 of the party’s constitution, which states that the National Annual Delegates’ Conference should be held at least four weeks after the last regional delegates’ conference.
Outlining the programmes for the event, the acting General Secretary, John Boadu on Tuesday explained that Muslim Jummah prayers would commence at the Koforidua Central Mosque on Friday, 6th July.
He noted that on Saturday, 7th July, the main conference would be held at the park of the Koforidua Technical University.
According to him, the conference would be in two parts. “The first part shall be for speeches. Statements shall be taken from the acting National Chairman, report from the acting General Secretary, statement of accounts from the national treasurer, statement from the leader of the parliamentary group, statement from former President John Agyekum Kufuor and address by His Excellency President Akufo-Addo.”
After this, the programme shall be handed over to the National Elections Committee, which shall conduct the internal elections under the supervision of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana. The party will on Sunday, 8th July hold a Thanksgiving Service at the Jesus Temple ICGC, Koforidua.
Polling Stations and Vote Pairings
The acting General Secretary said that the National Elections Committee, in conjunction with the EC, has set up 12 polling stations for the elections with the following breakdown:
Station 1: Central Regional and Constituency executives (408 delegates), Founding members (36 delegates), Council of Elders (15 delegates) and Council of Patrons (15 delegates), Station 2: Ashanti Regional and Constituency executives (816 delegates), Station 3: Brong Ahafo Regional and Constituency executives (510 delegates), External Branch executives (252 delegates). Station 4: Eastern Regional and Constituency executives (578 delegates), TESCON (189 delegates) Station 5: Greater Accra Regional and Constituency executives (578 delegates), Station 6: Northern Regional and Constituency executives (544 delegates).
Station 7: Upper East Regional and Constituency executives (272 delegates), Upper West Regional and Constituency executives (204 delegates) and all MMDCES (216 delegates), Station 8: Volta Regional and Constituency executives (459 delegates) and all MPs (169 delegates).
The rest are Station 9: Western Regional and Constituency executives (459 delegates), all non-MP Ministers and Deputy Ministers (39 delegates), Station 10: Youth Wing (855 delegates), Station 11: Women’s Wing (890 delegates) and the last Station 12: Nasara (804 delegates).
Aspirants
Frederick Worsemao Armah Blay, the current acting National Chairman of the party, who is seeking to become the substantive chairman, is being challenged by Stephen Ntim and Dr Richard Amoako Baah.
Mr. Blay has received massive endorsement from regional chairmen and delegates across the country.
He appealed to NPP delegates to give him to nod to consolidate power for the party.
Emmanuel Ken Wuud Nuworsu K, Rita Talata Asobayire, Michael Omari Wadie, Vida Agyekum Acheampong, F.F Antoh, George Isaac Amoo and Agnes A. Chigabatia have been cleared to vie for the National Vice Chairmanship positions.
Those cleared for the General Secretary slot include John Boadu, who is currently acting as the General Secretary and Richard Ahiagbah.
The Treasurer aspirants are Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah, Kwabena Oppong Frimpong, Mary Posch-Oduro, Hajia Ruka Ahmed, Abrahim Obeng Amoakohene and Nuhu Bayorbo Mahama.
For the position of National Organiser, the committee approved Sammi Awuku, Tweneboa Kodua Emmanuel and Sulemana A. Sadik Nabicheinga.
National Youth Organiser aspirants- Henry Nana Boakye, Kamal-Deen Abdulai, Emmanuel Nana Bediako D. Appiah and Dominic Kwesi Eduah- have also been cleared.
National Women Organiser aspirants – Kate Gyamefua and Joyce Konokie Zempare, have also been approved to go and face the delegates.
Abubakari Sulemana, aka Lakulaku, Alhaji Rashid Adam, Ahmed Zaruk Nuhu, Iddrisu Abdulai Dipantiche, Alhaji Shuaibu Musah Sheriff, Baba Gado Ibrahim, Abdul Aziz Haruna Futa, Dauda Abdul Rahman Duodu, Alhaji Aminu Abu, Sulemana Alhassan Atakpo, Abdul-Rahman Diallo, Kazeem Ibrahim, Salihu Yahaya Bo and Ali Suraj have all been approved to contest for the National Nasara Coordinator position.
From Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua