NPP North America Congress in Chicago Ends

.... with New Executives

The NPP North America Branch has successfully concluded its National Annual Delegates’ Congress at the Four Point Sheraton Midway Hotel in Chicago, IL on September 14, 2003. Approximately, 70 delegates represented the following states or cities both in Canada and the United States namely: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Kentucky; Washington, DC; Montreal, Canada; Newark, NJ; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL, Ottawa, Canada; and Detroit, MI.

After an opening prayer by Richard Coffie (Chicago), the chairman of the Chicago chapter, Dr. Aaron Ohemeng welcomed all delegates and recognized special delegates Honorable J. H. Mensah, MP-Sunyani East and Chairman, Economic Management Team of Ghana Government; Honorable Charles Amoama, Ghana’s Deputy High Commissioner to Canada; and Daniel Botwe, NPP General Secretary.

The outgoing Chairman Philip Tawia introduced J. H. Mensah as keynote speaker who spoke eloquently about how the great NPP Party evolved through the dreams and aspirations of Paa Grant, and J.B Danquah, his role in the Party and Government, and the role the delegates ought to play going forward to win the 2004 election and not be worried by the NDC tactics of the so called “boom” speeches we read on the internet. The MP from Sunyani indicated that the NPP government has not deviated in its objective to make Ghana a wheel of economic prosperity in Africa.

Chairman Tawia also spoke about the state of the party in North America, particularly in areas that need improvement to help the NPP government stay in power and turn the economy of Ghana around. Mr. Tawia believed in power being silent, and stressed the implementation of our ideas, perhaps, silently as done in the corporate environment.

Kofi Boateng from New York raised a motion to vote on the agenda for any additions or deletions. Minutes from a Montreal meeting, a follow up on two committees (a) Political Action Committee and Business Development Committee formed in the prior year’s congress in New Jersey, was added and read by Michael Baffoe from Montreal. Meanwhile, the Treasurer, Ester Ankoma gave a report about the financial situation of the North America Branch stating that the Branch had no money except the dues that were paid just before the beginning of the congress.

Then, Kwame Acheampong, the outgoing General Secretary of the North America branch, read the minutes of the previous congress in New Jersey, and the general body adopted the minutes. Dan Botwe, NPP General Secretary spoke after lunch break.

In his address, the General Secretary gave a detail report on the party’s performance in capturing parliamentary seats in various bi-elections. He indicated that the party is currently focused but cautioned for complacency, especially not to underestimate the NDC in the upcoming elections. He also expressed his gratitude for North America support, and warned that more efforts are needed to implement new strategies for the 2004 elections. Mr. Botwe emphasized on the need to have numbers to grow the North America NPP Branch. He also answered questions from the audience. Others delegates who spoke were Ben Newman of Houston, TX.

The congress program had run behind schedule for more than three hours; therefore the workshop for selected topics could not be addressed. After lengthy deliberations, it was agreed that resolutions that could not build consensus should be suspended until the set-up committees have worded those documents properly. Consequently, the delegates cut the program short and elected new officers for its Branch Executive Committee.

The new NPP North America Branch Executive Committee has the mandate to run the organization for the next two years. Officers elected to serve on the Committee include the following:

1. Mohammed Ali Idris (Washington, DC Metro) – Chairman
2. Dr. Samuel Amoako (New York, NY) – 1st Vice Chairman
3. Richard Nyarno-Coffie (Chicago, IL) – 2nd Vice Chairman
4. Kwaku D. Mensah (Newark, NJ) - General Secretary
5. Abedi Boakye (Chicago, IL) - Assistant General Secretary
6. Kwame Kodua (Public Relations Officer) - Newark, NJ
7. Joe Manu (Los Angeles, CA) – Treasurer
8. Eric Opoku (Washington, DC Metro) - Organizer
9. Kwabena Nketiah –Sakyi (San Francisco, CA) -Youth Organizer

The Assistant General Secretary’s position was created during prior elections in Toronto, Canada to foster regional balance; although not mandated by our Bye Laws, we still maintained the position. There was no candidate to contest for the women organizer slot. The venue for the next Congress was not decided upon at the time the meeting went into recess.

At the dinner dance, a surprise visit by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, I. C. Quaye interrupted yet another attentive speech by Hon. J. H. Mensah. In the meantime, the new branch executive committee was sworned in by Dan Botwe.

The Congress was over and done with at a Ghanaian Community Church on Sunday September 14, 2003 where mostly the local chapter members and delegates from Los Angeles attended. In addition to those delegates J. H. Mensah and Dan Botwe were present at the church service.