Sunyani (B/A) Nov. 14, GNA - Mr. Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjour, a former Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has urged the party's hierarchy to remain neutral in the impending regional executive elections. He said the NPP could regain power from the NDC in the 2012 General Election when the rank and file bury their differences and present a united front towards achieving the goal.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, in Sunyani, Mr. Fordjour, who held the position from 1997 to 2006, appealed to the delegates to consider his track record and vote massively for him during the elections.

He explained that the party lost power to the NDC in 2008 because of complacency on the part of some regional executives, especially those in Brong-Ahafo, and emphasized the importance to campaign effectively at the grassroots level.

"The party's fortunes depended on those at the grassroots level," he said, and alleged that "the Brong-Ahafo Regional executives were not able to organise a single rally in the region and instead of going down to the grassroots they rather lodged in big hotels." Mr. Fordjour stressed the need to support and motivate constituency and polling station executives so they would redouble their efforts during the 2012 electioneering campaign.

Asked why he wanted the position again, Mr. Fordjour said the NDC government had disappointed Ghanaians and that the NPP "needs somebody like me who can go down and canvass more votes at the grassroots". "The NDC promised to create more jobs and drastically reduce the prices of fuel and cement in its 2008 Manifesto but has rather brought hardship to the ordinary Ghanaian," he added.

Mr. Fordjour advised NPP members and supporters in all the 230 constituencies to let the interest of the party be a priority and desist from petty squabbles and backbiting and forge ahead in unity towards a resounding victory in 2012.

He recounted that Brong-Ahafo had been a decider in national elections since 1992 and urged the party's hierarchy to consider choosing a presidential running mate from the region to enhance the party's fortunes. On his achievements during his tenure, Mr. Fordjour said it was under his chairmanship that the NPP was able to capture 14 out of the then 21 seats in the region in the 2000 general election. "Before then, the NPP had only four seats and through my hard work the party was able to retain all the 14 seats in the 2004 elections," he added.