About 35 polling station executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Tano North Constituency of the Ahafo Region are upset about the removal of their names from the party’s album (certified delegates) without apparent reasons.
As the party’s presidential primary to elect a flagbearer for the election 2024 approaches, the aggrieved executives have appealed to the party’s national leadership to intervene for the right thing to be done, before “The party is torn apart in the constituency.”
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Duayaw-Nkwanla, Joshua Anumba, the Youth Organiser, Boaso CMB Shed Polling Station, and the spokesperson for the aggrieved executives said the anomaly was discovered during the album verification exercise, saying since that lime “constituency executives have been divided”.
Mr Anumba said if the situation was not resolved immediately, it would affect the fortunes of the party in the constituency in the next general election.
He regretted the NPP in the constituency had been characterized by petty squabbles, infighting and internal wrangling since the constituency executives were elected, and prayed the leadership would quickly intervene and resolve whatever “internal impasse.” Mr Anumba said, “Tension within the party in the constituency is mounting and if the right thing is not done, then we should head for doom in the election 2024.”
A list of names of the polling station executives missing in the album and signed by the affected people and made available to GNA comprised Christiana Amponsah, Women Organiser, Buokukuruwa CMB Shed, Jonah Anumbia, Secretary, Akokoammon CMB Shed and Bernard Opoku Fofie, Secretary, Duayaw-Nkwanta Circuit Court.
Others are Gladys Asantewaa, Women Organiser, Duayaw-Nkwanta Circuit Court, Benjamin Acheampong, Youth Organiser, Apataasu Temp Booth, Mercy Serwaa and Alia Amea, Organiser and Youth Organiser respectively, Koforidua UA Primary School.
The rest were Yaw Boakye, Secretary, Binkyim CMB Shed, Agyenim Boateng, Secretary, Adrobaa New Apostolic, and Thomas Antwi, Organiser, Adrobaa New Apostolic.
When contacted, Mr Janamah Biiyien, the Constituency Vice Chairman confirmed the removal and replacement of some of the polling station executives named in the album but added “I think you have to contact the Constituency Chairman.”
“In fact, some of the names of the Polling Station executives have been replaced and the right person you can talk to is the constituency chairman because I wasn’t engaged in that process,” he added.
Efforts to contact Mr Karikari Agyemang, the Constituency Chairman were, however, unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Dr Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North has officially written to the national leadership of the party to act urgently to resolve the matter.
A copy of the letter signed by the MP and made available to the GNA said “I write to inform you of the removal of the names of 35 persons from the list of the certified delegates in the Tano North constituency of the Ahafo Region.”
“This anomaly was detected during the album verification exercise. Again, five polling station executives being appointed to the constituency, have also been replaced which is against party directives,” it added.
Copies of the letter sent to the NPP National Chairman, and the Ahafo Regional Executive appealed to the leadership to investigate “The complaint and have the names of the affected persons inserted in the album” to restore peace for the good of the party.”
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