The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP’s) National Election Committee, Peter Mac Manu, has opined that there is nothing wrong with aspirants footing the Travel and Transportation (T&T) cost of delegates during an event such as an annual delegates conference.
According to him, “it is not a crime”.
Speaking in an interview with Emefa Apawu on The Probe on Sunday, he stated that while the NPP did well to curb the perennial incident of vote-buying at political congresses; there is nothing wrong if aspirants pay the fares of delegates.
Mr Mac Manu made these remarks while answering a question posed by host of the show, regarding an allegation made by a National Organiser hopeful, Mr, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, to the effect that some aspirants bribed the delegates.
According to him, he knows those who are engaging in the illegality but will not mention names.
“I know them, they also know themselves so I will not mention names,” Mr. Asamoah Boateng stated.
Asabee disclosed that he has given the delegates money to cater for their travel and transport.
“I only gave them T&T three times-150, 150 and 100,” he said.
However, Mr Mac Manu said “That’s not part of the crimes in the PNDC law 284.”
In Mr. Mac Manu’s view, the party implemented robust measures to tackle the menace of monetisation, as part of its commitment to strengthen internal democracy.
Touching on the late start of proceedings on Saturday, he explained that the delay was occasioned by an injunction that was filed to prevent TESCON delegates from taking part in the elections.
He also added that some delegates had to commute all the way from the Eastern Region to the venue, due to some challenges with finding accommodation for them in Accra.
Mr Mac Manu used to the opportunity to dismiss assertions that the delay was as a result of aspirants meeting delegates in their hotels to give them money before they come to the venue.
In all, he was glad about the turn of events and expressed his happiness for a successful exercise.