MP accused of camping delegates ahead of election

Juaso (Ash), Dec.8, GNA - Mrs Gifty Ohene-Konadu, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member

of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akim South Constituency, has been accused of camping some

polling station executives, to vote for candidates of her choice in the party's constituency

election. The MP was said to have induced the polling station executives with a promise to insure

them under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with her share of the Common Fund,

should they vote for her candidates. The allegations were made by the constituency executives of the party led by the chairman,

Mr. Isaac Opare, at a press conference at Juaso on Monday. Mr. Opare who was flanked by other executive told newsmen that the MP on December 6,

conveyed some polling station executives from Kurofa and Dwendwenase to her residence,

where she asked them to vote for one Abdul Karim Boakye-Yiadom as chairman in the

forthcoming constituency election. He said when the executives got wind of the said meeting and they went to the MP's

residence to confirm, but they could not have access to the house as the main gate was locked. He said the MP's action was in contravention with the party's constitution, saying, it was only

the chairman who had the mandate to convene meetings. Mr. Opare appealed to the regional and national executives of the party to call the MP to

order, since her behaviour was inimical to efforts to re-organise the party at the grassroot in

preparation towards election 2012. He cautioned party members to desist from engaging in activities that violated the party's

constitution, adding that, culprits would be punished in accordance with party disciplinary

measures. Mrs. Ohene-Konadu when contacted admitted inviting the polling station executives to her

house, but was quick to add that, she did not violate the party's constitution, since she had every

right to meet with party members as an MP. She also accused the executives of moving from one polling station to another to canvass for

votes for their favourite candidate to assume the chairmanship of the constituency, with the

ultimate aim of contesting her for the parliamentary seat in 2012. She said the allegations levelled against her were baseless, and that they were only pursuing

their parochial interests as they were afraid of losing the election. 8 Dec. 09

NPOL 008 Politics Coordinators NPP NPP Area Coordinators urged to be innovative

WA, Dec. 8, GNA - Mr Ibrahim Tamaa, Upper West Regional Secretary of the New

Patriotic Party has urged the newly elected Area Coordinators of the Party to be innovative, by

initiating grass root structures that would strengthen the Party on the ground in preparation for

the next elections. He suggested the formation of disciplinary, fund raising and campaign committees in their

electoral areas, identify all active party supporters and assign roles to them as a way of

promoting inclusiveness, to make all such people feel needed by the Party. Mr Tamaa said this at the swearing in of the 18 electoral area coordinators and the newly

elected Wa Central Constituency Executive of the Party at Wa on Monday. He however advised the Area Coordinators against the formation a parallel executive to rival

the constituency executive as such a development would never augur well for the smooth

running of the party. Mr Ali Kamara, the new Constituency Chairman noted that indiscipline and greed contributed

immensely to the Party's loss of power in last year's elections and pledged that he and his

executives were determined to eschew those evils during their tenure. He said they would aggressively assess why the Party has since 1992 failed to win the Wa

Central Constituency seat and come out with strategies to win the seat in 2012 elections. Infighting within the party in the constituency should be a thing of the past, he said, and

appealed to all party supporters to bury their differences and come together to fight for victory

in 2012. "I am prepared to sell my belongings to assist any party member who is prepared to work

for the party for us to recapture power", he promised. Mr Kamara hinted that he was not interested in parliamentary primaries saying they often led

to acrimony and divisions in the party and as a result they would want to use consensus building

in choosing the next parliamentary candidate for the constituency. 08 Dec. 09