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Opinions of Thursday, 18 April 2013

Columnist: Tortimmah, Justice Ali Ibn

How can we get competent people to be NDC polling station executives ...

...in the sissala east district?

In contemporary times the political arena is shadowed with a lot of unscrupulous practices when it comes to the election of people to occupy the grass root positions of the party. The unfortunate formula often used in the selection of these grassroots executives is based on how long one has been in the party and also on family considerations. Why am I saying this? At the polling stations for instance even though selection of executive positions is supposed to be by election/voting that is usually not the case. Most executives are not chosen through elections. The incumbent chairmen just “shear the positions like groundnuts”, the usual practice is that most chairmen at the ward/branch levels use all sorts of weird methods to remain in power in perpetuity as well as select other executives that will serve their parochial interest and that of their paymasters. They (sitting executives) have become predators and or impediments against any interested persons in executive positions and the party at large. They unfortunately think any new comer into the party must not be allowed to hold an executive position because of the monies they get to line their pockets during the election of Constituency, Regional, National as well as all other Primary Elections. It therefore stands to reason that, the polling station executives of the NDC are not there for the interest of the party but to retard the rate at which new members join. Though it may be simply true to say that, people occupy executive positions in the party to solely serve the party, the case of NDC in Sissala East Constituency is so much a problem and we must not keep silent about it. Polling station executives are more interested in what they intend to harvest for their own pockets. Even though the NDC holds on to Democratic values at the National level, such basic credentials are negated at the level of the Constituency and Ward/Branch levels in Sissala East. How can this caliber of people work in tune with the party’s constitution? Unless something drastic is done the fundamental problems can never be eliminated in the Sissala East District. In my candid opinion this matter should be raised at the national level of the Party so as to find ways of electing vibrant polling station executives especially in the Sissala East Constituency. Long live Ghana long live NDC.

Written by: Director of Communications of the Young Democrats Sissala East Constituency. Mr. Justice Ali Ibn Tortimmah