The vetting of New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants took off in earnest yesterday, with the Vetting Committee taking to task John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, a leading contender for the party?s flagbearership slot, over his founding membership.

Sources close to the committee told Daily Guide after yesterday?s exercise, which lasted a little over two hours, that Mr Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, was grilled over his inability to produce his founding member certificate.

The aspirant, who was the first to be vetted by the high profile committee chaired by the Chairman of the Council of State, Prof Daniel Adzei-Bekoe, indicated that he was not having the founding member certificate because it was missing, leading to a barrage of questions, especially from former National Chairman, Peter Ala Adjetey.

Daily Guide learnt that at a point, the former Trade Minister lost his cool, complaining that the committee was being too harsh on him. However, sources said Alan?s heated encounter with the committee was not unexpected since he was the first person to be vetted. Mr. Kyerematen was the founding chairman of the Young Executive Forum, a wing of the party.

However, the appearance of Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, was like a meeting of old friends, as his encounter with the committee was more or less an interaction. His documents were intact, giving him a clean bill of health.

Hackman, for several years, was the National Treasurer of the party and later chairman of the Finance Committee. The exercise took place without any fanfare as neither of the aspirants attended the vetting with their supporters.

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku was missing in action due to outside engagements.

The next batch of aspirants would appear on Thursday. It is expected that former Presidential spokesperson, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong and former United States banker, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko will take their turn when the committee reconvenes.

Earlier, some of the invitees encountered difficulties in locating Australia House, venue of the screening exercise. A few policemen were posted at the location and they questioned people who appeared to be loitering in the vicinity. When Daily Guide showed up at the place an hour before the commencement of the exercise, one of the policemen on duty questioned the reporter about his mission, adding that the place was out of bounds.

Many of those who eventually turned up were seen asking for directions to the location. Cars were allowed in only after being scrutinized by the security officers at post.

Daily Guide spotted two cars, one of which was adorned in Hon. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang?s posters; the same type pasted at strategic locations in the city. The car, which drove into the house, was chauffeur-driven with its lone occupant comfortably seated at the rear. After a few hours, the cars left the venue of the screening, one at a time. The screening exercise is being held as a major step towards the December congress of the NPP at the University of Ghana, Legon. Every aspirant needs the committee?s certificate of fitness to contest the December 22 congress.

Members of the Vetting Committee are Rt. Hon Peter Ala Adjetey, former Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Committee; Samuel Arthur Odoi-Sykes, immediate past Ghana High Commissioner to Canada and Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee; R.R. Amponsah, a veteran of the Danquah-Busia tradition and Chairman of the Council of Elders; and Madam Amma Busia, a member of the Council of State. Other members are Hajia Mariam Abagna Khadli, a nominee of the National Council; Collins Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the Finance Committee; Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health and Chairman of Organisational Committee; and Brig Gen. Odei (rtd), Chairman of the Research Committee, with John Agyabeng, MP for Agona East serving as Secretary to the Committee.

The aspirants, apart from the show of evidence of membership in good standing, must also have evidence of their contributions to the party, a source close to the committee told Daily Guide. So far, 12 aspirants have filed their nominations, making them eligible to contest the party?s flagbearership on December 22 at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The aspirants are Alan Kyerematen; Dr. Konadu Apraku; Hackman Owusu-Agyemang; Kwabena Agyepong, former Press Secretary to the President; Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko, former vice president of the Bank of New York; Yaw Osafo-Maafo, former Finance and Economic Planning Minister; Vice President, Aliu Mahama and Papa Owusu Ankomah, former Minister of Education, Science and Sports. The rest are Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations; Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former CEO of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and lately, Nana Akufo Addo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, and Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy.

Those yet to file their nominations are Capt Kwame Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey(rtd); Dan Botwe, former General Secretary; Felix Owusu-Adjapong, former Majority Leader; Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, former Defence Minister; Dr. Barfour Adjei-Barwuah, Ambassador to Japan; and John Kwame Kodua, a Kumasi-based legal practitioner. They have up to November 22 to file their nominations.