THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set up a National Complaints Committee, which will receive formal complaints from members against any other member who breaches a new code of conduct adopted by the National Council ahead election of presidential candidate.
According to the party, the code of conduct is to regulate the conduct of party members ahead of the presidential and parliamentary primaries for the 2024 elections.
A press release issued by the General Secretary, John Boadu, on Tuesday said the decision takes immediate effect, as it is to guide party members before the formal opening of nominations for the primaries.
An exception has, however, been made for parliamentary aspirants in constituencies that do not have NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) – orphan constituencies.
The statement said, “It shall be the duty of the National Complaints Committee to investigate each complaint of violations of this Code of Conduct to determine whether or not there is a prima facie case”.
“Where the Committee has established a prima facie basis in a particular complaint, it shall make a referral to the National Disciplinary Committee for the necessary disciplinary actions in line with the provisions of the Constitution.”
The Committee is made up of Frank Davies, who is the Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, who is the Chairman of the National Council of Elders, and John Boadu, the General Secretary.
“Sanctions shall be imposed on any member or supporter of the party, who fails, neglects, or refuses to comply with the orders of this Code of Conduct.
“Possible sanctions include fines, suspension, expulsion from the party or disqualification from holding any office or position in the party for a stated period.”
The release emphasized that the party reserves the right to disqualify any potential presidential or parliamentary candidate or aspirant who either directly or indirectly breaches the new code of conduct.
Read the full statement below:
NPP ISSUES CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PRE-PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES AHEAD OF THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES OF THE PARTY
The National Council of the NPP, conscious of events of the past and the need to forestall reoccurrence and to instill discipline in Party administration, has adopted this Code of Conduct to regulate the conduct of Party Members in both Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries for Election 2024 during the Pre-Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries period.
The Code of Conduct has been formulated in accordance with Article 18 of the New Patriotic Party’s Constitution and it is applicable to Party supporters and actors including Government Appointees; Ministers; Members of Governing Boards/Councils; Chief Executive Officers of Governmental Institutions; Members of Parliament; Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives; Aspirants/Potential Candidates; their Supporters and all other Members of the Party.
This Code of Conduct is thus applicable during the period preceding the opening of nominations for prospective Candidates to contest for the Party’s Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, and shall be in force until the General Secretary, on behalf of the National Executive Committee/ National Council, officially declares that, positions for Presidential and Parliamentary Elections are opened to prospective Candidates as stipulated in the Party’s Constitution.
Presidential Primaries and the National Complaints Committee:
A National Complaints Committee has been constituted to receive complaints of violations and breaches of this Code of Conduct, through the General Secretary. The National Complaints Committee is made up of the following persons:
a) Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Lawyer Frank Davies
b) Chairman of the National Council of Elders, Hon Hackman Owusu Agyeman
c) General Secretary of the Party, Mr. John Boadu
It shall be the duty of the National Complaints Committee to investigate each complaint of violations of this Code of Conduct to determine whether or not there is a prima facie case. Where the Committee has established a prima facie basis in a particular complaint, it shall make a referral to the National Disciplinary Committee for the necessary disciplinary actions in line with the provisions of the Constitution.
Parliamentary Primaries and Complaints of Violations
Complaints of violations or breaches of this Code of Code regarding Parliamentary Elections/Primaries shall be handled in accordance with the Party’s Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures enshrined in Article 4 of the Party Constitution. Accordingly, any member of the Party who alleges that there has been a breach of any provision(s) of this Code of Conduct by another Member, shall lodge a complaint/petition against that Member with the respective Constituency Disciplinary Committee through the Constituency Executive Committee, for the necessary actions.
Sanctions For Breaches of the Code
Sanctions shall be imposed on any member or supporter of the Party, who fails, neglects or refuses to comply with the orders of this Code of Conduct. Possible sanctions include fines, suspension, expulsion from the Party or disqualification from holding any office or position in the Party for a stated period.
Orphan Constituencies
This Code of Conduct as it relates to Parliamentary Primaries shall apply in full force but with the necessary modifications by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to the conduct of Parliamentary Primaries in Constituencies where the Party has no sitting Members of Parliament (i.e. Orphan Constituencies). Accordingly, the National Executive Committee reserves the right to alter the applicability of this Code in Constituencies where the Party has no sitting MPs in respect of Parliamentary Elections.
THE CODE OF CONDUCT:
1. Members, Supporters, Sympathizers of the Party at all levels shall:
a) refrain from using the media (traditional or social) to attack the integrity and reputation of other members particularly leading members perceived to be nurturing Presidential or Parliamentary ambitions;
b) refrain from openly debating on the suitability, desirability or otherwise of Presidential or Parliamentary Candidates until the Party formally opens nominations through the General Secretary;
c) not initiate early gatherings camouflaged as activities or meetings which has the tendency of promoting the interest of a prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
d) for the specified period, refrain from making any public statements or inferences through any print or electronic media including online portals and all social media outlets regarding the propriety or otherwise of any Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
e) be entitled to hold their regular Party meetings; but shall desist from holding discussions on the suitability or otherwise of any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
f) desist from using their public office or portfolio within or outside the Party to promote the interest of any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate in order to gain unfair political advantage;
g) for the period preceding the election of Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates, not offer money, gifts or other incentives that has the potential to directly or indirectly influence the outcome of the election of any prospective Candidate;
h) not covertly or overtly solicit campaign contributions, gifts and other incentives in cash or kind during this period;
i) not hold any campaign activities for themselves or for any prospective Candidate until such time that the Party so declares;
j) not form any groupings or association within or outside the Party for or against any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
k) not anonymously prosecute campaign activities on any platform in furtherance of the interest of any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate.
2. Communicators of the Party shall not use both traditional and social media platforms to campaign for or against any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate, and any Communicator who breaches the Code of Conduct shall be suspended from speaking for and on behalf of the Party. This is without prejudice to any other sanctions prescribed in the Constitution.
3. For the avoidance of doubt, prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidates shall be held responsible for the actions and inactions of any person or group of persons identified as supporter(s) of a particular Candidate which are in flagrant breach of this Code of Conduct if the prospective Candidate is seen explicitly or implicitly lending support or condoning and not publicly denouncing the activities of any such person or group of persons.
4. The Party reserves the right to disqualify any potential Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate or aspirant who either directly or indirectly breaches this Code of Conduct.
For emphasis, this Code of Conduct comes into force on this 27th Day of July, 2021, and shall remain in full force until the General Secretary of the Party, on behalf of the National Executive Committee/National Council officially declares Nominations for Presidential and Parliamentary Elections duly opened for prospective Candidates.
Issued on Tuesday, 27th July, 2021
…Signed…
JOHN BOADU
GENERAL SECRETARY
BY Daniel Bampoe