NPP holds congress in August

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will in the last week of August this year conduct a national delegates congress to discuss and approve a number of measures deemed crucial to the party's interest and well-being.

The congress, will among other things, elect new national officers to steer the affairs of the party for the next two years and also consider and approve changes to the party's constitution. No definite venue has been fixed for the event.

The National Chairman of the party, Mr S. A. Odoi-Sykes, who disclosed this in an interview in Accra yesterday, was shedding light on the party's programme for the rest of the year.

Currently, the NPP has lost four of the seven members of its national officers. Its national vice chairmen/persons for the three positions mandated by the party's constitution and also the national organiser have been currently appointed to other positions, making it difficult for them to function as full time on the party jobs.

Madam Ama Busia, First National Vice Chairperson, has been appointed a member of the Council of State by the President; Dr Alhassan Wayo Seini, Second National Vice-Chairman quit front-line politics last year to concentrate on his work at the University of Ghana, Legon, and Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Third National Vice Chairman, has been appointed Minister of Lands, Mines and Forestry. Major Courage Quarshigah, National Organiser, has also been appointed Minister of Food and Agriculture by the President.

Again, the Constitution of the party was crafted largely on account of a party in opposition but with the NPP in power today, a review of some of its provisions, including the role of its flagbearer and who becomes the effective party leader, has become necessary. Under the current constitution, the flagbearer is required to revert to the status of an ordinary member if he or she loses an election but his or her status is not clear if he or she wins.

According to Mr Odoi-Sykes, the congress will be both unique and historic because it will mark the first time the party of the Busia-Danquah tradition will be meeting as a party in government at congress to chart its future after nearly 30 years of being out of political power. He pointed out that the NPP as a party needs to be strengthened to "enable it to play a separate but complementary role to the government as the executive organ of state.

"Even though the 25 -member National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has generally been in control of party policy and programmes, it is also of crucial importance that the full complement of the elected national officers be present to oversee the day-to-day running of the party. This is essential to laying a solid foundation for the NPP in the run-up to the 2004 general elections and beyond," he stressed.

Mr Odoi-Sykes mentioned the positions of national chairman, first, second and third vice-chairpersons, general secretary, national organiser and national treasurer as those that will be opened to contest at the congress and indicated that a detailed programme for the congress will be unveiled in due course. He reiterated the commitment of the party to the pursuit of democratic principles and values and said that this will guide the actions of national officers and executives and rank-and-file of the party.

"We will also be exploring within this democratic framework, measures that will strengthen the hand of the national executive in the choice of Parliamentary candidates to contest on the ticket of the party in future elections."

He noted that this has become necessary following the considerable confusion that characterised the choice of parliamentary candidates in the last elections and which also resulted in the institution of disciplinary measures against some members of the party. Asked if he will seek a second term, the NPP chairman was non-commital. "I believe it's too early to delve into these matters. We will cross the bridge when we get there," he said.

"For now, I feel a great sense of pride and relief that under my chairmanship, the NPP has worked hard as a team to win power for the NPP and the Danquah-Busia tradition after staying out of power for nearly three decades," he stressed.

He called on members of the party to accommodate and open up to members of other parties as well as non-committed members saying, "politics is a game of numbers, and we need to win more people to the side of the NPP to ensure that we maintain power and remain the dominant political party in the country," he said.