NDC advised to make Parliamentary Nominations Transparent

Kumasi, July 13, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Constituency Secretariats, have been advised to be transparent and to open up nomination for the parliamentary primaries of the party to any member desirous to contest without discrimination.

Mr J. B. Salifu, Acting Ashanti Regional Deputy Secretary, said it was crucial for the constituencies to ensure that only registered members who meet all the requirements filed nomination for the primaries.

He was interacting with the Asokwa-East Constituency Executives and the Akorem Ward and Branch Executives of the party in Kumasi on Saturday as part of an exercise to discuss and revamp structures at the grassroots.

Mr Salifu, who is also the Asokwa-East Constituency Secretary, said it was only when nominations were filed in a fair and transparent manner that the right parliamentary candidate could be chosen to guarantee victory in the parliamentary elections.

"Nominations for the parliamentary primaries of the NDC, opened two weeks ago, and is scheduled to close by August 31, 2003", he added. He accused the NPP of deceit, saying, it assumed power only to continue with policies it accused the NDC of pursuing.

He said NPP "kicked against the NDC for privatising some State Enterprises, with the pledge that such things will cease when it assumes power, but strangely, on assumption of power, it has adopted same policies, and has even widened the scope of privatisation of the State Enterprises".

Mr Umaro Farouk Gado, the Deputy Asokwa-East Constituency Organiser, urged the media to allow the expression of divergent views and dissenting opinions.

He said the tendency of some media houses always siding with the government while downplaying the views of minority parties did not augur well for nurturing of the country's democracy and should be discouraged.