There is uneasy calm in the Kwesimintsim branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Western Region.
Some of the members of the party in the area are complaining about perceived disunity among the constituency executives which could lead to the defeat of the parliamentary candidates.
Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Reindolf Sarkodie, Chairman of the Pentecost Preparatory Polling Station “B” at Asakae in the constituency, bemoaned what he termed as ‘some unacceptable happenings’ in the party at the constituency.
He asserted that the party’s chairman had sidelined the party’s constituency secretary in all the activities of the party in the area.
“This was after the secretary shared his views on perceived consistent selfish attitude of the Chairman and some selected few in the executive body,” he alleged.
Mr Sarkodie, who is also the Secretary to the ‘Concerned Polling Station Executives’ in the constituency, alleged that the deputy constituency Secretary had been asked to takeover despite the presence of the substantive secretary of the constituency.
He mentioned that for about eight months, the Constituency’s first Vice Chairman had also been sidelined after sharing his view on the issue and tagged a non-supporter of the sitting Member of Parliament, Joseph Mensah.
“The NASARA Coordinator and his deputy are equally facing the same punishment as we speak for no tangible reason. In any case should the constituency executives work for the MP or the entire NPP membership of the constituency”? He quizzed.
According to him, competent party people were ignored for people who were rejected during the Polling Station elections in their respective polling stations.
“A typical example is the Constituency Research Officer, who also doubles as the wife of the Constituency Organizer one Mrs Akoto.”
“She was rewarded such sensitive position because of her husband’s parochial interest, knowing well that the said position would be very challenging for his wife. This raises serious conflict of interest issues”, he asserted.
Mr Sarkodie told DAILY GUIDE that a 47-year-old man has been appointed as the constituency Deputy Youth Organizer when the party’s constitution stipulates that persons above 40 years cannot hold such positions.
“The divide and rule tactics in the party has led to the splitting of the members at the grassroots levels everywhere in the Constituency”.
“We have given the constituency Chairman Kingsley Samuel Kwaw a week’s ultimatum to try and resolve the issues or else the polling station executives would advise themselves,” he pointed out.
Constituency Chairman Reacts
Reacting the assertions in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, Samuel Kingsley Kwaw, Kwesimintsim NPP Constituency Chairman denied all the allegations.
According to him, “The polling station chairman for Pentecost Preparatory” B” at Asakae rather wants to bring someone to contest the sitting MP, hence his lamentations.
“We have not opened nominations but the polling station chairman has indicated his intentions to bring a candidate. We’ll not prevent anyone from contesting but the processes have not began,” he emphasized.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi